The podcast

Ep 74 Rachel Milne

Rachel Milne is a Newcastle-based painter whose work turns everyday interiors, objects, and moments into beautifully compelling paintings. 

 Rachel grew up in Cambridge, trained in Cardiff, and built an early career in Britain serious enough to earn her membership of the Royal West of England Academy. 

 Then, in 2013, she packed up and moved to the other side of the world — to Newcastle, New South Wales — and something shifted. 

 She is a painter of interiors. Of unmade beds and cluttered studios, of hallways and mirrors, of spaces that hold the shape of the people who inhabit them. 

 She works in oil, from life, often in a single sitting — because she believes the camera makes too many decisions on her behalf. 

 She has been a finalist in numerous significant awards including the Wynne Prize and Portia Geach and has won the Evelyn Chapman Award, Muswellbrook Art Prize and the Vincent Prize. More recently she has spent time as artist-in-residence at the Liddell Power Station — finding beauty in a building the world was busy demolishing.

 And who could have guessed this started from painting backgrounds for Wallace and Gromit. 

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen to our conversation.

Rachel’s latest exhibition: Newcastle, High is on at King Street Gallery on William (Sydney) till 4 July 2026.

For more info and examples of her work, head to www.rachelmilneartist.com.au

Rachel is represented in Sydney by King Street Gallery on William (@kingstreetgallery) and Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne (@sophiegannongallery)

Images

1.   RM by David Griffen

2.   The Stage, Victoria Theatre 2021 160 x 120

3.   Nest, 2022 oil on board (winner Muswellbrook Painting Prize)

4.   Studio Haefligers 2016 50 x 80 (Bathurst Regional Art Gallery Collection)

5.   View From The Stage, Victoria Theatre, 2021 80 x 100

6.   Town Hall 2026 60 x 80

 The podcast

 Ep 73 Kirtika Kain

Kirtika Kain was born in New Delhi, India and raised on Sydney's Northern Beaches, and is making some of the most viscerally powerful art in the country right now. 

Kirtika is a printmaker, a painter, and an alchemist. Her works often depict the overlooked. One of the extraordinary ways she does that is by taking materials such as pigments, wax, sindoor, human hair, charcoal, gold and tar and transforming them into works that carry centuries of inherited memory. 

Her practice is a reckoning with identity, and what might be termed the silences passed down through generations. But it’s more than that. It's also an act of celebration and the grandeur of a culture that has never been properly archived. 

She has shown at the Biennale of Sydney, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, and in galleries across Australia and Europe. 

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation. 

Kirtika (@kirtika.kain) is represented by Roslyn Oxley9 (@roslynoxley9)

Images

1.   KK in her studio at Parramatta Artists’ Studios, by Garry Trinh

2.   Chronicles, Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2025-26

3.   Mimetics, Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2025-26

4.   2026 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art

5.   Stone Idols, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery 2021

The podcast

Ep 72 Lily Mae Martin

Lily Mae Martin is a remarkable visual artist known for her deeply personal explorations of womanhood, motherhood, and the human condition. Her own strength and resilience in the face of, at times, enormous challenges, is remarkable.

She is celebrated for her masterful draughtsmanship, particularly her delicate and detailed cross-hatching using fine liner ink pens, building up thousands upon thousands of tiny lines to produce an incredible tone. 

After graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2008 and winning the Lionel Gell travelling scholarship, she spent years refining her practice in Berlin and Wales before returning to Australia. 

Her work has always been predominantly figurative, with a love of traditional portraiture approached in an unconventional way — seeking to capture people outside of the polished, self-conscious way they present themselves to a camera.

She was a finalist for the 2016 Rick Amor Drawing Prize, Art Gallery of Ballarat; winner of the 2016 Ursula Hoff Institute Emerging Artist Acquisitive Art Award in the National Works on Paper exhibition, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery; and shortlisted for the 2016 Paul Guest Drawing Prize, Bendigo Art Gallery, Adelaide Perry drawing prize 2017 and the Dobell Drawing Prize 2019. Lily Mae also contributed to The Drawing Board – a four part segment exploring drawing on Radio National, The Arts Program in 2022.

Lily Mae (@lilymaemartin) is represented by Scott Livesey Galleries (@scottliveseygalleries)

I referred in our conversation to the National Gallery of Victoria ‘Drop-by Drawing’ programme of which Lily Mae was a part. The link is below

https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/multimedia/drop-by-drawing-with-lily-mae-martin/

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen to our conversation.

Images

1.   LMM supplied by artist

2.   Orchid Medley 2025 ink on cotton paper 15 x 20

3.   Waterloo State Forest 2016 ink on paper 76 x 105

4.   Nothing is Untouched (Moorabool) 2024 ink on paper 56 x 76

5.   Emerging

The podcast

Ep 71 Julie Fragar

Julie Fragar is one of the country's most compelling painters. 

For those who are familiar with that name, it could well be because she recently made headlines as the winner of the prestigious 2025 Archibald Prize. What is perhaps not as well known to the general public is that that win marked the 4th time she had been a finalist in that competition.

For over two decades, Julie's practice has been described as pushing the intellectual limits of painting. Her works are deeply psychological, and weave together autobiography, historical narratives and intense human experiences. 

We had a great conversation talking about her childhood in country NSW, her art school experiences, her visual technique which she describes as not "layering," but rather as images "woven" or "knitted" together, where all images exist simultaneously on the canvas, the incredible works she produced after sitting in the public gallery of the Supreme Court and later when she shadowed a gynaecological surgeon and witnessed the visceral reality of the operating theatre and, of course, her 2025 win in the Archibald Prize. 

Julie Fragar’s work is held in major public collections including the Art Gallery of New South Wales; Art Gallery of South Australia; and the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art. She has been the recipient of major awards and institutional commissions. And Professor Fragar also happens to be Deputy Director (Research) at the Queensland College of Art and Design, Griffith University. 

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation, or search Australian Women Artists wherever you find your podcasts. 

Images

1.   JF, AGNSW, Diana Panuccio

2.   Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene) 2025 oil on canvas, 240 x 180 (Archibald winner 2025)

3.   Richard, 2020 oil on canvas 180 x 135 (Archibald finalist)

4.   Trust, 2026 oil on canvas 180 x 135

5.   Drown in Your Own Ambition, 2021

6.   Origin of the World (or One Battle After Another), 2026

 The podcast

 Ep 70 Lisa Bale

 It would probably be fair to say that Lisa Bale sits outside the art establishment. 

She lives and works remotely on a bush property situated in the hinterland of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. 

Not having formal art training has been no hindrance to an exceptional talent. In fact, it’s probably a big contributing factor to her success. Her works are witty, surprising, and visually arresting takes on modern-day dilemmas. 

Her extensive career spans nearly four decades and she has deliberately cultivated a distinctive aesthetic that marries meticulous technique with deeply personal, often idiosyncratic subject matter. 

Her works are held in the permanent collections of prestigious institutions, including the Art Gallery of South Australia, QAGOMA, the University of Queensland Art Museum, Rockhampton Art Gallery, and the private collection of Lord Jeffrey Archer in London. 

The work is stunning, and I’m honoured that she’s chosen to have a chat on AWA because in nearly 40 years of creativity, Lisa has told me she has never done this sort of focussed and in-depth interview.

For over 20 years Lisa has been represented by Philip Bacon Galleries, one of Australia’s leading art galleries.

From their website... “Meticulously producing hyper-real imagery, Bale uses oil paint and a deft hand to load dramatic scenes with rich metaphor and illusory turns.” 

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation or search for ‘Australian Women Artists’ wherever you find your podcasts. 

Images

 1. Lisa Bale, 2026, photograph by Kim Guthrie @iphotographstuff

 2. Rose Garden, 2008, 53 x 70 cm, oil on canvas

Collection: Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA)

 3. Sacred Heart, 2019, 61 x 80 cm, oil on canvas

Private Collection

 4. Dig, 2011, 68 x 100 cm, oil on canvas

Collection: University of Queensland Art Museum

 5. Icebreaker, 2014, 49 x 83 cm, oil on canvas

Private Collection

 6. Inquisition, 2016, 54 x 80 cm, oil on canvas 

Collection: Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA)  

 The Podcast

 Ep 69 Heidi Yardley 

 Heidi Yardley is a Melbourne-born painter whose work occupies a significant space in contemporary Australian art — intimate, psychological, and immediately recognisable. 

 ‘[Heidi] works with found images to create scenes of mysterious temporality. Often painted in faded hues, her artwork is suggestive of a period that could sit somewhere between the 1960’s and 70’s.’

 She works with oil paint and charcoal and incredible collaging techniques where she creates anonymous portraits of sexualised and domesticated femininity. 

 Over three decades she has drawn on vintage imagery, cinema, music, and the female experience as inspiration. 

 Heidi has been a finalist in significant prizes including The Archibald Prize, Wynne Prize, Sulman Prize and The Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, has held two artist residencies in New York, and has been listed as one of Australia’s 50 most collectable artists.

 It was a great broad ranging conversation. We covered her obsession with art at high school and her struggle to get into the painting course she desperately wanted (spoiler: she persisted and got in!), her love of figurative art and having to resist pressures from outside to think and act more conceptually – and her persistence paid dividends again. I loved her description of how she felt when overseas standing in front of paintings she had only seen in books to that point. We talked about her visual language, how she finds titles for her works and ... Nick Cave. Which I’m always up for a chat about. 

 Mood, mystery and the unresolved image. 

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen. Heidi is represented by Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane (@janmurphygallery) and Nicholas Thompson Gallery, Melbourne (@nicholasthompsongallery)

Images

1.   HY by Lisa Barmby

2.   The masked bride, 2024 oil on canvas 140 x 100

3.   The black veil, 2019 charcoal on primed paper 84 x 110

4.   The door, 2021 oil on canvas 144 x 116

5.   Psychique 2021 oil on canvas 140 x 110

 The podcast

Ep 68  Suzanne Archer 

 Across six decades, Suzanne Archer has forged a singular career in Australian art, marked by independence from curatorial trends and sustained commitment to difficult subjects. 

 From youthful abstraction through immersion in the Australian bush to a fearless confrontation with death and time. 

 Suzanne has won major prizes including the Wynne Prize for landscape and the Dobell Prize for Drawing, and her work is held in significant public collections nationwide. 

 Her constant evolution is fascinating.

 We discussed many aspects of her career. The origins of her artistic journey, her immigration to Australia in the 1960s and the incredible effect living on the NSW South Coast had on her, how she made a living in those early days from art, residencies in New York and Paris and Zimbabwe and how those experiences taught her to never shut down what is possible, how moving to the country and that sense of space had a profound effect on her and her art.

We had this conversation at Nanda Hobbs Gallery in Sydney when her recent exhibition, Manifestation, was showing.

Suzanne is represented by Nanda Hobbs, Sydney

Images

1.   SA in front of a detail of Gorge Country – Wedderburn, 2024 oil on canvas 198 x 408

2.   Brown velvet, 2025 oil on canvas, 153 x 153

3.   Arty-Fact 2013, cloth bag, collaged embroidery, cardboard, acrylic paint, canvas mat

4.   Derangement, 2010, ink, charcoal, pastel on 2 sheets of white paper (winner Dobel Prize)

5.   Waratahs Wedderburn, 1994, oil on canvas, 240 x 242

 The podcast

Ep 67 Tracey Deep

 For over twenty years, Tracey Deep has been transforming forgotten remnants of the natural world—from dried botanicals to recycled organic and industrial materials—into captivating, tactile sculptures. 

 Her art celebrates the regenerative power of the earth through the art of what’s been called intentional imperfection. 

 Today her work spans gallery exhibitions, immersive installations and major public artworks across Australia. Whether delicate and intimate or monumental in scale, her sculptures invite us to slow down and reconnect with the natural world. 

 But I think the best description of Tracey is... a creative adventurer, a biology enthusiast, and magical botanical sculptor.

 “My passion for working with nature, my love for art has been the inspiration behind where I am today. Mother nature is my teacher, creating floralsculpture installations over decades has been the most inspiring tool in training my eye to assemble unique forms, patterns, shapes & tones together to create “living art”.” Tracey Deep

 We had a wonderful conversation as, amongst many things, we discussed her creative journey, her fabulous (and random) gathering process, and her devotion to protecting our land and environment.

Tracey is represented by Saint Cloche Galleries (@saint_cloche)

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation or go to wherever you find your podcasts. 

 Images of Tracey and her work were supplied by the artist

 The podcast

 Ep 66 Dagmar Cyrulla

Dagmar Cyrulla is an Australian contemporary artist whose work grew out of a lifelong interest in people, relationships, and the emotional texture of ordinary life.

Born in Germany and raised in Sydney from age one, she developed an art practice that blends portraiture, domestic scenes, and psychological observation into stories about human connection. 

She is a distinguished figure in the Australian art scene, frequently appearing as a finalist for prestigious awards such as the Archibald, Doug Moran Portrait Prize, Dobell Drawing Prize, Portia Geach, Fishers Ghost and many more. 

She has been described, wonderfully I think, as a seasoned storyteller of the contemporary human condition.

“My work is about feelings, based on how we relate to one another. My aim is to engage the viewer in the same thought process as mine, so as to open an opportunity to self questioning. My paintings are stories which hopefully reflect my love of people. The life experiences I use to develop my work include; Father and daughter relationships, power relationships, relationships to parents, being and having a role model, sibling rivalry etc.  I have clarity with each artwork in regard to the ideas I am exploring, however  it is more important for me to be engaged emotionally with each work.  I play with colour and light to help create the mood that I want the viewer to experience.” Dagmar Cyrulla

Head to the link in my bio for our conversation and or from wherever you get your podcasts.

Dagmar (@dagmarcyrulla) is represented by Lennox St Gallery (@lennoxstgallery) and Wagner Contemporary (@wagnercontemporary)

Etre is showing at Lennox St till 25 April

Images

1.   DC

2.   The keeper of secrets, 2009, pastel on paper 205 x 142

3.   Etre III, 2025, oil on linen 50 x 40

4.   Le marriage, 2024, oil on linen, 82 x 61

5.   Woman bathing after Rembrandt, 2025 oil on linen, 41 x 36

6.   After Hopper study II, 2025 oil on paper on board 45 x 25

7.   Wendy Paris and Minerva, oil on canvas

8.   If you can’t stand the heat, 2010, oil on canvas

If you’d like to hear in more detail about Shay Docking, then follow the link in my bio to a ‘mini’ podcast about this extraordinary woman.
 
 In ep. 5, I asked this question of critically acclaimed Australian contemporary artist Margaret Ackland. And the artist that was an influence on her was Shay Docking.

Shay Docking is one of the most original landscape painters of the twentieth century. The extraordinary work she produced deserves greater recognition.

Examples of Shay’s work are displayed at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, the National Gallery Victoria and the Art Gallery of NSW as well as other major state and regional galleries across Australia and NZ.  

And Shay Docking was such a good friend and influence on Margaret Ackland that, in 1987, Margaret painted a portrait of Shay for the Archibald Prize and was a finalist. The same portrait won the Portia Geach Memorial Award the following year.

Head to my Instagram account to have a look at Shay’s work (a larger carousel of her works will follow) and Margaret Ackland’s beautiful portrait of Shay Docking. And make sure you have a listen to her episode on Australian Women Artists.

Margaret Ackland is represented by 

@flinderslanegallery

@stanley_street_gallery

Images

1 Margaret Ackland’s award-winning portrait of her friend, Shay Docking 

2 Shay Docking’s Volcano Blue Lake and Plains, 1979, pastel and acrylic on paper on board 76 x 98

More images of Shay’s work to follow on instagram

The podcast

Ep 64 Celia Gullett

 Celia Gullett has developed a beautiful distinctive practice over several decades. Her abstract works explore colour, light and surface with what’s been described as, ‘remarkable sensitivity’. 

Her career has unfolded gradually, shaped by long periods of study, reflection and... life. 

A major turning point in Celia’s artistic development came in the mid to late 1990s when she began studying at the Charlie Sheard Studio School in Sydney. And we’ll talk about the importance of that to her remarkable journey. 

Her work gained recognition through art prizes and exhibitions. She became a repeat finalist in both the Mosman Art Prize and the Paddington Art Prize and just last year won the Allan Gamble Award at the Mosman Art Prize. 

Celia spoke about growing up in the country and that even as a young girl, she was acutely aware of sensory moments and being observant (a necessary skill in the country!). 

We also talked about her art school experiences and what it did and didn’t provide. Which led to her needing to get out in the world to develop her language. It was really interesting talking about her seminal experience at the Charlie Sheard Studio School. His mantra that stuck with her...It’s not what you paint, it’s how you paint it.

Of course, we discussed the fabulous influences on her personally and artistically from her time in Florence and Rajasthan. But always – colour, light and surface...and the importance of treading your own path. 

We had our conversation in Celia’s fabulous Sydney studio.

Celia (@celia.gullett) is represented by Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane (@janmurphygallery) and Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne (@sophiegannongallery)

Image of CG supplied by artist. Photographer: @markrogers_photo

More images to follow in subsequent post

 The podcast

Ep. 63 Camie Lyons

 Camie Lyons is a Sydney-based contemporary artist whose multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, painting, and drawing. 

 Her creative approach is deeply informed by her background as a dancer, translating the rhythm and fluid lines of human movement into physical forms. Working primarily with bronze and charcoal, she often sources inspiration from the Australian landscape, using natural materials like eucalyptus branches to anchor her organic silhouettes. 

 Camie has received extensive academic training in Melbourne and Sydney, supplemented by international residencies in countries such as Sweden and Bulgaria. Her professional portfolio includes major commissions for prestigious brands like Tiffany & Co. and the Hilton Hotel, alongside numerous solo exhibitions across Australia and Asia. 

 Today, her work is held in prominent public and private collections globally, reflecting her status as a significant figure in the contemporary art world.

 We discussed the discipline of being a professional ballet dancer and her work as an artist and the fabulous influences of one over the other. How her work, despite being in the hard and heavy medium of bronze, is still very intuitive. Very little planning. I found that fascinating. We also talked about the random things that can happen in life and taking the opportunities they may present and the importance of risk and believing in your own process. 

To hear our conversation, head to the link in my bio. 

Camie (@camie.lyons) is represented by Australian Galleries (@australiangalleries) in Sydney and Melbourne

Images

1 CL

2 Girl is gone, 2025 bronze 98 x 85 x 51

3 Slow tumbling house 2025 bronze 60 x 54 x 49

4 Moving young to a new planet 2025 acrylic and pencil on linen

5 Apple and pear 2019 bronze 14 x 14 x 14

The podcast

Ep. 62. Deborah Halpern OAM

Deborah Halpern is one of Australia’s most celebrated multi-disciplinary artists, renowned for her vibrant, whimsical public sculptures that have redefined Melbourne’s urban landscape. 

Rather than pursuing austere minimalism, which still dominated many sculpture departments, she embraced exuberance. Colour became central to her practice...and over a career spanning more than four decades, Deborah has explored a vast array of mediums, including sculpture, painting, pottery, glass blowing, and printmaking, though she is most famously identified with her monumental mosaic works... large-scale sculptures constructed from fibreglass and steel armatures, clad in hand-cut ceramic tiles.

It was a lovely languid conversation about her journey, her processes and, amongst other things, how her international residencies gave her exposure to international artists and had a huge impact on her and her work. 

It was also really interesting hearing about her seminal 10m sculpture ‘Angel’ which graced the outside of the National Gallery of Victoria...in particular the constant hurdles she faced in physically making it and finding the finance to finish it.  

She’s a big advocate for the benefit of art and public art in particular. Her work is meant to bring joy. To ‘elevate and escalate the art experience’, as she puts it.

To listen to the conversation, head to the link in my bio.

Deborah Halpern is represented by @arthousegallery, Sydney
@niagaragalleries, Melbourne 

See more of her works at

www.deborahhalpern.com

Images:

1 DH by Mia Mala McDonald

2 Family 2024 (all works are glass, steel, fibreglass) 345 x 220 x 88

3 Ophelia 1992 (the face of Melbourne)

4 Bodrig the Powerful Owl 2025 116 x 100 x 60

5 Angel 1988

6 Flying Fish 2025 50 x 56 x 30

7 Creature with Green Eyes and Tail 2026 59 x 39 x14

8 Winged Victory 2026 127 x 56 x 110

The Podcast

Ep.61 Julz Beresford

Julz Beresford is known for her amazing gestural depictions of rivers, bushland and alpine terrain. 

 She has a very distinct, energetic approach to landscape painting which we’ll discuss. Her works showcase the movement and light of the worlds she grew up in... The Snowy Mountains and the Hawkesbury River. 

 And I wanted to find out how she is able to bring those memories and sensations to the studio. 

 Her quite rapid rise came after...a very unusual career hiatus in London which, it turns out, became very helpful to the way she works.

Julz is represented by Michael Reid Sydney (@michaelreidsydney)

And her upcoming exhibition Between Dust & Rain, with former guest @carlylecerf will be at Michael Reid Murrurundi (@murraart) from 1 - 31 May 2026

Images

 The podcast

 Ep 60 Kiata Mason

 Kiata Mason’s work explores the quiet drama of domestic life. 

 Her paintings showcase rooms we all have and often just rush through them but, like all good painters, Kiata’s work causes us to pause. And reflect. 

 Her paintings often reference her own family history and the coastal home she now lives and works in.  

 Kiata’s formal training was at the National Art School in Sydney, where she undertook a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting. She later built on this foundation with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) in Drawing, and then a Master of Fine Arts (Drawing), all at National Art School. 

 She’s been a finalist and semi-finalist in many major painting prizes including the Sulman, Doug Moran, Black Swan and Paddington art prizes and she has won the Muswellbrook Art prize for works on paper. 

 Across prizes, residencies and exhibitions, Kiata has held onto a deeply personal, drawing-led practice that honours the everyday without sentimentalising it.

 Our discussion was broad and covered a lot of areas of interest to all artists I reckon. She’s a deep thinker and a very talented and compassionate painter. 

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen to our conversation. 

@kiatamasonart is represented by @akbellingergallery and   @curatorialandco 

Images

1 KM

2 Breakfast with Dorris, 2019 122 x 91

3 Because of the Spring Flowers 2019 122 x 92

4 One of Gran’s Good Plates 2017 45.8 x 61

5 Surrounded by Art 2025 73 x 90

6 From the Gallery of Small Things exhibition Paintings and Ceramics, 2026

 The Podcast

 Ep. 59.  Adriane Strampp

 Adriane’s is a fascinating journey. She was born in the United States and educated in the UK before settling in Australia. 

 She brings the effect of that peripatetic life to her work. Her work is defined by its sensitivity to light, memory and place. Interiors soaked in soft light, distant landscapes, objects held in suspension. 

 We talked about her fabulously eclectic group of subjects she’s explored in her art including horses, dresses, landscapes, interiors, still lifes and the thread which weaves itself through all of them.

 She has held more than 30 solo exhibitions around Australia and internationally and has been selected as a finalist multiple times for a number of awards including the Sulman, Dobell, Calleen, Ravenswood, Len Fox and Adelaide Perry. 

 And alongside her studio practice, Adriane has also made a profound contribution as a teacher. She is also the Founder and Director of the Fitzroy Painting Studio which has had probably thousands of students through its doors. 

Head to the link in my bio to listen to our conversation. 

Adriane is represented by 

King Street Gallery on William (Sydney)

Jan Manton Gallery (Brisbane)

You can see some of her works there or on her website:

www.adrianestampp.com

 Images

1 AS by Hugh Stewart

2 The Wait (long days and longer nights) 2022, 152 x 152 

3 Lucy’s Light, 2022, 152 x 152

4 Celosia, 2025, 91 x 91

5 Silent World, 2025, 162 x 205

6 Paper Lamp, 2025, 91 x 91

7 Hydrangea, 2025, 30 x 30

8 Cornucopia (painting number 2), 1996, 122 x 153

9 Passage, 2019, 91 x 91

 The Podcast

 Ep. 58 Amanda Penrose Hart

 Amanda Penrose Hart is one of Australia’s most compelling contemporary interpreters of landscape. 

 In fact, judges at the Calleen Art Award recently described her as one of Australia’s most accomplished senior plein-air painters. 

 Amanda graduated with a Diploma of Fine Art from Queensland College of Art and then a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Griffith University, she developed a practice grounded in drawing, composition and a love of paint – which is becoming a wonderful thread through a number of the artists I’ve spoken to. 

 Travelling is central to her work: from Sofala and the Central West of New South Wales to European battlefields and coastal sites, she paints landscapes that really feel familiar. 

 She’s widely exhibited across Australia and has received major recognition including the Gallipoli Art Prize (2017), the Clayton Utz Art Award (2019) and the aforementioned Calleen Art Award (2024). Her work is held in significant public and private collections nationwide as well.

 Amanda is part of the upcoming exhibition Lustre: Australian Artists in Greece & Crete WWll at Anzac Memorial Hyde Park Sydney. It will open on May 20 and will feature both Amanda and a previous guest on AWA, @joannalogue

Head to my bio above to hear our conversation

Amanda is represented by:

@kingstreetgallery
@philipbacongalleries

And you will find some of her works there as well as at her website:

www.amandapenrosehart.com.au

Images

1 APH by Michael Bradfield

2 Butter cloud 2021 110 x 110 (oil on canvas)

3 Sally’s Flat 2017, 38 x 52 (ooc)

4 Go lightly 2023 76 x 120 (oil on board)

5 Shepherds lookout ACT 2023 121 x 198 (oil on linen)

6 The Somme 1, 2017 100 x 180 (ooc)

7 Australian first division memorial, Pozieres 2017 41 x 62 (ooc)

The Podcast

Ep. 57.     Sophie Perez

Sophie Perez was born in Brighton, England. Her early love of art led to her formal academic training which culminated in her obtaining a Master of Arts in Painting at the Royal College of Art in London. 

How she ended up in Australia...is an interesting story. 

When she settled in the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, she embraced the unique landscape, and it informed her artistic practice. Her work was described as loose, gestural brushwork, with sensitive colour relationships that sought to evoke the feeling of place rather than replicate it literally. 

By the latter half of the 2010s, Sophie’s work had begun to gain broader visibility within Australia. In 2022, she was awarded the People’s Choice Award at the prestigious Paddington Art Prize. She has also been a finalist in the Mosman Art Prize (2020, 2022) and the Lethbridge Landscape Prize. 

"For me, painting transcends observation—it’s an invitation to connect with the beauty and complexity of our surroundings. Through my obsession to paint, I seek to forge meaningful connections that bridge the gap between artist and audience, celebrating the shared experience of the world around us." Sophie Perez

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen to our conversation...or head to wherever you get your podcasts.

Sophie is represented by 

Australian Galleries, Salt Contemporary Art and Art Images Gallery

Images

1 SP (in front of The Language of Trees ’ 170 x 300 cm diptych)

2 The daily commute, 2025 140 x 130 Oil on Belgian linen (all images are OOBL)

3 The joy and weight of MOtherhood 2025 140 x 130

4 Sundown 2025 75 x 70

5 Morning in the studio 2025 45 x 40

Check www.australiangalleries.com.au for availability of Sophie's works

The Podcast

Ep 56.  Caroline Walls

Today on the podcast I’m very excited to be joined by Melbourne based contemporary artist Caroline Walls. 

 Caroline’s work explores the emotional lives of women through really bold but pared-back forms, and it centres on the female body, intimacy and ‘the emotional texture of everyday life’. Her paintings, drawings and sculptures sit between abstraction and figuration and the figures, at first glance appear to be simple flowing lines and rich, earthy tones. But her work makes you stop, look and... feel. 

 It’s quite extraordinary how her paintings exude such an intimacy through their pared back images. 

 She has a background in design and spent years living between London and New York. That period exposed her to elements that would later surface in her own studio work through bold silhouettes and controlled colour.

 She made the enormous decision to return to Australia to undertake studies at the Victorian College of Arts...which brought immediate recognition and changed the course of her life’s journey. 

 It’s a really interesting discussion about how her practice has evolved and how her experiences as an Australian woman and mother shape the images she now creates. 

 Caroline has an exhibition 'She Once Was'which runs till March 7, 2026 at Olsen Annexe, Sydney, Australia. Make sure you have a look if you’re in Sydney and you’ll see firsthand what we’re talking about in this conversation. 

To hear our conversation, head to the link in my bio or wherever you find your podcasts. 

To see some of her works you can also head to her website:

www.carolinewalls.com

Caroline’s solo exhibition can be seen @olsen_gallery @olsen_annexe

Images supplied by artist

1 & 2 CW 

3 All Day Long

4 Seasons 

5 To Know What to Say

6 Into Your Arms

7 Are You With Me Now

8 Keeping Time

9 She Once Was

The podcast

Ep. 55 Prudence Flint

Prudence Flint is one of Australia’s most compelling contemporary painters.

For more than three decades, Prudence has been painting seemingly ordinary women in ordinary everyday interiors undertaking ordinary tasks.  And the effect is extraordinary.

The paintings are imbued with a stillness and the subjects are caught...almost mid thought. And that is quite captivating. Those (often) solitary figures captured in private moments away from the male gaze. 

Her work is fabulous, engaging and thought provoking and very recognisable. 

She has held solo exhibitions in London, Dublin, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Hobart and has exhibited in major state and regional galleries. She is a seven-time finalist in the Archibald Prize. She won the Len Fox Painting Award (2016), the Portia Geach Memorial Award (2010), and the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize (2004). 

In 2023, Prudence’s work featured in the NGV Triennial at the National Gallery of Victoria. Her work is held by collections including the National Gallery of Victoria, Queensland Art Gallery/ Gallery of Modern Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, City of Port Phillip, Artbank, BHP Billiton, City of Gold Coast, University of Wollongong, Castlemaine Art Museum, X Museum, and numerous private collections. 

It was a great conversation and to hear it, head to the link in my bio above. 

Prudence is represented by @fineartssydney

Image: PF by Karina Dias Pires

The podcast 

Ep. 53 Carly le Cerf

Over the last decade, I think it would be fair to say that Carly le Cerf has become one of the most quietly compelling voices in contemporary Australian landscape painting. 

Her paintings exude atmosphere and exhibit a beautiful balance of abstraction and observation. Her approach to colour, atmosphere and, I guess, stillness is what makes Carly le Cerf’s paintings so special and the reason behind her commanding a significant amount of collecting attention.

Her inspiration was the, at times, overwhelming desert landscapes of the Pilbara. Those experiences and the influences on her work were profound. We discussed her creative processes in detail which was fascinating. Having seen her work recently at the Sydney Contemporary, I can vouch for the fact that you are drawn into the painting - it’s hard to explain. Her work is often done from an aerial perspective with very little, if any, skyline so the imposing landscape almost hits you in the face and causes you to look quite deeply into it. 

It was also interesting talking about her Blue Mountains residency which meant a whole new colour palette and a whole new range of issues to resolve. She's done it brilliantly.

Head to the link in my bio to listen to her episode. 

Carly is represented by Michael Reid Galleries and has an exhibition at Michael Reid Murrurundi (with Julz Beresford in partnership with R.M. Williams) in May 2026. 

Images

1.   Cerly le Cerf

2.   Into Her Mystic 2023, 120 x 120

3.   Oasis 2022, 104 x 288

4.   Looking Out Over Redgums, 2025, 180 x 120

5.   Wayfinding, 2025, 180 x 120

6.   A Painters Path, 2025, 180 x 120

7.   That Alluring Diamond Haze, 2025, 120 x 90

The podcast

Ep 51 Nusra Latif Qureshi

A conversation with Dr Rebecca Coates (MUMA)

My podcast guest today is Dr Rebecca Coates, and we will be talking about one of Australia's most compelling contemporary artists, Nusra Latif Qureshi.

Nusra Latif Qureshi bridges the ancient tradition of South Asian miniature painting with what has been described as, ‘urgent contemporary concerns about migration, identity, and cultural displacement.’ 

Her distinctive artistic practice challenges conventional boundaries between traditional and contemporary art forms. She has been granted numerous international prizes and residencies in locations such as New York, Los Angeles, and Banff. Her works are held in esteemed collections including the British Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney, the Parliament of Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria, the Queensland Art Gallery, the Smith College Museum of Art, and the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

‘She points to history’s erasures, traces and ghostly images and encourages us to look, and then look again. Qureshi does not tell us what was once there but asks us to distinguish between what was and what remains.’

Hammad Nasar, 2005

Dr Rebecca Coates is a very accomplished museum director, curator, writer and lecturer. She is currently the Director of the Monash University Museum of Art (MUMA) having previously been Artistic Director and CEO of the Shepparton Art Museum (SAM). She has also worked at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne International Arts Festival and the Museum of Modern Art Oxford. 

Over the course of her career, Dr Coates has curated over 50 exhibitions and organised programs for many of Australia’s leading contemporary art spaces, as well as international art museums and galleries. 

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen to our conversation

https://nusraqureshi.com/

https://www.monash.edu/muma/home

Nusra is represented by Sutton Gallery, Melbourne

The podcast

Ep 50 Tracey Moffatt

(A conversation with Amanda Love)

To celebrate the new year AND the 50 th post for AWA (!!!) I wanted to start with a personal favourite artist - Tracey Moffatt. 

There’s an argument to say Tracey Moffatt is probably Australia’s most successful artist ever, both nationally and internationally. She is certainly one of the few Australian artists to have established a global market for her work. 

A filmmaker as well as photographer, Tracey has held around 100 solo exhibitions of her work in Europe, the United States and Australia. In 2017, she had the rare honour of representing Australia at the 57th Venice Biennale with her solo exhibition, "My Horizon".

To discuss artist Tracey Moffatt, I’m joined in this podcast conversation by Amanda Love. 

Amanda is the principal at the fabulously named Love Art Advisory and is one of Australia’s most insightful and influential figures in contemporary art. She has been an independent art advisor and active art advocate for over 30 years, and an integral part of the international Art Basel network. She has served on the Board of Artspace and the Biennale of Sydney, Australia's largest contemporary art event, for over 10 years. She is not only a passionate collector, she has a Masters in Fine Arts (Hons) and holds the Christies Diploma of Fine Art, been an accredited valuer for over 20 years and has spoken as an expert on contemporary art in Australia and overseas, including at the State Library, NSW, National Gallery of Scotland, Arco in Madrid, the MCA, Sydney, the AGNSW, and Melbourne's Heide Museum. She has lectured for Christies Australia and regularly advised on Australian Art Collector Magazine's 50 Most Important Artists selection Panel.

To hear our conversation, head to the link in my bio.

For photos of Tracey’s work I’ll be posting a separate post in my instagram account, @australianwomenartists. 

Instagram image: TM by Claudia Fitzpatrick

The podcast

Ep. 49 Dr Bonita Ely

Bonita Ely stands as one of Australia's most significant contemporary artists.

She is a pioneering voice whose work has consistently challenged audiences to confront envir0nmentaI degradation and s0cio-poIiticaI realities through innovative conceptual art practices. 

She has a diverse practice that spans sculpture, installation, performance, video, and photography, establishing herself as a formidable force in both Australian and international art contexts. 

Bonita's work has been exhibited internationally and is held in major collections, including the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and the National Gallery of Australia. 

Her influence on younger generations of artists working with environmental themes cannot be overstated. By establishing environmental art as a legitimate and powerful form of artistic practice in Australia, she opened pathways for countless artists to engage with ecoIogicaI themes through their work. 

Head to the link in my bio to hear this episode

Images

1 BE by Jessica Maurer

2 Menindee Fish KiII 2019 image: Melissa Williams-Brown

3 Murray River Punch 1980

4 Recipe for MRP

5 Great Artesian Basin Map 2022 installed on the floor with its legend displayed on the wall

6 The Dancers 2022 Felt silk charcoal paper bone plywood. The Great Artesian Basin map, to Bonita, resembles a Spanish dancer - in mourning

The podcast

Ep 48 Kaylene Whiskey

(A conversation with Professor Dr Natalie King OAM)

I’m excited to bring this episode to you. I'm talking to Professor Dr Natalie King OAM and we are discussing the incredible unique work of indigenous artist Kaylene Whiskey. 

Natalie King is an Australian curator, writer, editor and Professor of Visual Arts, Victorian College of the Arts at the University of Melbourne. She has curated three national pavilions at the Venice Biennale (including the Australian Pavilion 2017, the Aotearoa New Zealand Pavilion 2022 and the inaugural Timor-Leste Pavilion 2024). She has contributed to many leading international art publications and serves as President of Australia (International Association of Art Critics, Paris). Her most recent publication is The Art of Kaylene Whiskey: Do you believe in Love? A monograph edited by Natalie and the team at Iwantja Arts. It's the first major monograph of Kaylene's work. 

Kaylene Whiskey is a Yankunytjatjara artist born in Indulkana, South Australia, and is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Australian art. 

Living and working in the APY Lands, Kaylene creates paintings that combine the vivid visual language of desert art with the glitter and glamour of global pop culture. 

Her works are filled with famous and iconic women who coexist with Anangu women in scenes of daily life, dance, and laughter. Through this vibrant and unexpected fusion, Kaylene Whiskey redefines what contemporary Indigenous art can be. 

Join me in this fabulous conversation by heading to the link in my bio above. 

www.natalieking.com.au

https://thamesandhudson.com.au/products/art-of-kaylene-whiskey-do-you-believe-in-love

Images (details)

KW by Jackson Lee

Michael J 2018 acrylic on linen 91 x 122

Do You Believe In Love? 2019 acrylic on linen 167 x 198

Seven Sisters Song 2021 water based enamel on SA Tourist Attraction road sign 120 x 180 x 3

Flying Over Indulkana 2022 acrylic on digital print on rag paper 91 x 156

Dolly's Birthday 2024 acrylic on linen 167 x 198

The book 

The podcast

Ep 47 Robyn Stacey

Robyn Stacey is one of Australia’s most established and respected photographers, exhibiting widely in Australia and internationally since the mid-1980s. 

As a photographer and installation artist she is celebrated for transforming ordinary spaces into cinematic worlds of light, history, and intimacy. 

Through large-scale photographs, camera obscura works (which we talk about in our conversation), and evocative still lifes, she reimagines how we see the domestic and the personal. 

Her art invites us to look closer to discover the stories within. 

Besides her many accolades and awards, Robyn was featured in Know My Name: Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now, a landmark exhibition organized by the National Gallery of Australia that was aimed to highlight the contributions of women artists to Australia’s cultural landscape (sounds like a familiar theme). 

Head to the link in my bio for our conversation

Some of her images are on my instagram. You can see others on her website

www.robynstacey.com.au

She's represented by 

Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney

Jan Manton Gallery, Brisbane

PDNB Gallery, Dallas

Images (detail)

1 RS by Brett Boardman Studio

2 Thursday 14 December 2023 at 10:46:18 photographic print 120x160

3 Aurum 2019 photographic print on metallic paper 154x179

4 Wendy and Brett Whiteley's Library 2016 Type c print 110x159

5 Comfort Inn Riviera SAMHRI 2016 Thpe c print 110x147

6 Fontaine de Vaucluse 2009 Type c print 120cx170

7 Ice 1989 Gloss cibachrome print 120 x 202

The podcast

Ep 46 Michaye Boulter

Michaye is a painter whose evocative seascapes and atmospheric horizons capture the delicate balance between isolation and connection. 

She was born in Brisbane and at a very early age moved to Tasmania’s wild southern coastlines. Her father was a fisherman, and this meant Michaye’s life was sailing, fishing, and living close to water. These early experiences instilled in her a profound sensitivity to the ocean’s moods and mysteries, which would later become central to her visual language. 

Her works often explore the human experience of solitude within nature’s immense presence, rendered through subtle layers of oil that convey both stillness and movement. 

It’s been said that her paintings invite contemplation and quiet emotion, and my recent viewing of her works would definitely confirm that.

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation

***NB Michaye's next exhibition is Thursday 5 March 2026 at Art House Gallery in Sydney - the date has changed since our recording***

Michaye is represented by 

Arthouse Gallery in Sydney

Bett Gallery in Hobart

To see more of her works head to those gallery websites or 

www.michayeboulter.com

Insta images

1.   MB supplied by artist

2.   A passage of light oil on linen triptych 153 x 366

3.   Atmospheres oil on linen. 102 x 153

4.   Morning watch oil on board triptych 20 x 47

5.   Portal oil on hadn beaten steel 86 x 70

The podcast

Ep. 45 Loribelle Spirovski

Today it’s my privilege to be joined by Australian contemporary artist Loribelle Spirovski. 

Loribelle's passion for art began very early. She and her family moved to Australia from the Philippines when she was a young girl. This experience was very formative and continues to shape her practice. 

Her formal art education began at the College of Fine Arts, UNSW, and after graduating, Loribelle quickly established herself in the Australian art scene. 

Her early works were marked by introspective themes, often reflecting the emotional complexities of migration, identity, and cultural hybridity. She began exhibiting in group shows and small galleries, gradually gaining recognition for her distinctive style that fused photorealistic detail with surreal, dreamlike compositions. 

We had a great chat covering a broad range of topics...like how the colours of Australia were almost overwhelming when she first came here as a child, why she focussed on portraiture, how and why American filmmaker David Lynch became such a big influence, how a huge effort on her part to create her first Archibald entry almost led to her giving up on that prize...but her response was fabulous. And actor John Bell was a big part of that. How a painful condition led her to sit disconsolate in front of her easel not being able to hold a paintbrush, then she started listening to Indigenous musician William Barton and instinct took over, she threw away the brush, put on some gloves...and finger painted. The portrait won the Archibald People's Choice in 2025.

A finalist in the Archibald Prize 4 times, the Portia Geach Memorial Award 8 times and a finalist in The Lester Prize for Portraiture. Loribelle has exhibited widely across Australia, Europe, and the United States. 

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen to our conversation.

Her works are available via @nandahobbs @arcadiagallery @lennoxstgallery

Insta images

1. LS (supplied by artist)

2. Finger painting of William Barton 2025 oil on canvas 182 x 137

3. The Alchemist oil on canvas 150 x 120

4. John Bell at home 2017 oil on canvas 166 x 110

The podcast

Ep. 44 Rachael Sarra

Rachael Sarra is a proud Goreng Goreng woman whose incredible work bridges fine art, design, business and education. 

You might know Rachael’s powerful visual language from a postage stamp that commemorated the 1967 Referendum, from murals lighting up Brisbane, or from collaborations with major brands like Kmart and Tourism Australia. 

Her artistic style is distinct and contemporary, characterised by vibrant, striking, fabulous colours including purples, pinks, greens, oranges, and blues. As I said it’s visually striking and engaging. However, beneath the aesthetic appeal, her work is deeply rooted in her heritage. 

She’s also the creator of vibrant resources for schools and a children’s book introducing counting through Aboriginal art. Basically, she has helped shift perceptions of what Indigenous art can be. 

We had a great chat. It was covering topics such as exploring creativity, challenging dynamics and spaces and breaking moulds. We discussed her unique use of colours and the use of colours being a conscious decision but in many ways it's also a sub conscious decision. How she feels the weight of responsibility. How much of herself she can give to corporates.

It was an important conversation, engaging and honest.

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen. 

Head to Rachael's website to have a look at some of her work

www.rachaelsarra.com

The podcast

Ep. 43        The Boyd Women Artists: The Hidden Line.

                    A conversation with curator Sophie O’Brien

For decades, the Boyd name has resonated through Australian art history — yet the creative lives of the Boyd women, the artists who worked in the shadows and around the edges of that celebrated dynasty, have too often been overlooked.

At Bundanon NSW, a remarkable new exhibition is changing that. The exhibition is called The Hidden Line: The Art of the Boyd Women and it brings together paintings, drawings, ceramics and textiles that reveal a brilliant artistic lineage stretching back through 5 generations of Boyd women. 

The exhibition could almost be described as a redrawing of the Boyd family story, revealing the works of women whose contributions were always there, just not always seen.

At the heart of this reclamation is Sophie O’Brien. Sophie is a very successful curator, director and writer. She has previously worked in senior curatorial leadership roles at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in Aotearoa New Zealand, and at the Serpentine Galleries and Tate Britain in London. She has also worked on numerous large-scale commissions with renowned international artists and has previously led the exhibition teams for the Australian Pavilions at the Venice Biennale and the Biennale of Sydney. 

We had a lovely conversation about the discoveries, the surprises, and the emotional resonance of finally bringing the Boyd women into the light.

The exhibition is now on at Bundanon till Feb 2026. Follow the link to find out more.

https://www.bundanon.com.au/the-hidden-line/

With greatest of thanks to @articulate.advisory and @sian_davies for inviting me

Insta images:

1 Mary Nolan, Tessa, Arles 1964

2 Yvonne Boyd, Melbourne Tram 1944 oil on muslin on cardboard

3 Lucy Boyd Beck, Orpheus and Eurydice c 1974-9 glazed stoneware painting

4 Hermia Boyd & David Boyd Jug with rabbit, bird and fox undated, ceramic

5 Lucy Boyd, Pulpit Rock 1985 oil on canvas

6 Portrait room, Bundanon

The podcast 

Ep. 42 Natasha Walsh

Natasha Walsh doesn’t make art for the Archibald Portrait Prize. She is really interested in building her practice in a way that interests her.

 Nevertheless, in 2025, in her early 30s, she became an Archibald finalist for the 8th time!

 One of those finalist years (2018), coincided with her winning the Kilgour Prize, the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship and the Mosman Art Prize tying with Margaret Olley as the youngest ever winner. 

 But it certainly hasn’t been all smooth sailing. Far from it.

 It was a lovely long, far ranging, very open and, at times, emotional conversation. Which isn’t surprising given her horrific experiences in Paris whilst attending the Whiteley Scholarship. 

 But I reckon Natasha is very brave. In life as well as her art. 

 We discussed the enormous effect her dyslexia and ADHD had on her life and how the Nat. Art School helped smooth some paths for her. It was a beautiful insight to an artist’s mind and thinking and creative process. 

 With her experimentations (especially with copper) and successes and persistence and resilience and her constant challenging of existing structures of bias...it’s little wonder she’s been described as a key figure in a new generation of Australian artists. 

 Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation. 

Natasha is represented by N.Smith Gallery

Insta images

1 NW portrait by Janie Barrett

2 Dear Hilma (The quiet point of a meeting), 2022 oil on copper 30 x 22 cm

3 The Voyeur (formerly Untitled) 2023 oil on copper 60x60 reference Egon Schiele The Hermits (Self portrait with Gustav Klimt 1912)

4 Portrait of a Young Medusa 2023 oil on copper 26x18 sitter: Montaigne (profile Portrait of a Young Lady 1465)

5 The Yellow Odalisque of Brunswick 2024 oil on copper 53x50 sitter Atong Atem (reference Matisse Yellow Odalisque 1937)

6 Dreaming of rose scented tea leaves carried to me on a summer breeze 2025 oil & pigment on copper 74x100

The podcast

Ep. 41 Evelyn Chapman - a conversation with Dr Anne Gerard-Austin 

Dr. Anne Gérard-Austin is the Curator of International Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales and a significant contributor to the current exhibition at the AGNSW, Dangerously Modern, Australian Women Artists in Europe 1890-1940. 

And we were discussing the Australian artist, Evelyn Chapman.

By the time World War I ended in November 1918, Evelyn Chapman was already an established young painter, with training in Sydney, Paris, and London (which is a story in itself!). 

Like many artists of her generation, she had been profoundly shaped by her exposure to European modernist ideas before the war. However, it was the devastation of the conflict — and her extraordinary access to the Western Front — that would give her most enduring works their form and content.

Evelyn Chapman’s work from France is characterised by the juxtaposition of devastation and rebirth. She recorded shattered churches, cratered fields, destroyed villages, and trenches filled with wreckage. Yet, unlike official war artists who often focused on the mechanics of war and military life, Chapman’s eye lingered on the aftermath: broken walls standing against the sky, poppies springing up from scarred ground, light piercing through collapsed arches.

On returning to Paris in 1919–20, her battlefield works were exhibited at the Salon des Beaux Arts, where they were admired for their emotional clarity and technical execution.

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation

 Instagram images

 1.   Ruined church with poppies, Villers-Bretonneux circa 1919
 oil & tempera on thick grey cardboard 39 x 30.5 

 2.   EC painting at Villers-Bretonneux gelatin silver photograph
 19.9 x 15 

 3.   Old trench, French battlefield 1919
 oil & tempera on textured grey paper on cardboard
 54 x 73.3 

 4.   Interior of a ruined church, France 1919
 oil & tempera on grey card on board
 56.3 x 41.4

 5.   Ruined buildings 1919
 oil & tempera on grey card
 28.8 x 38.5 cm board

 6.   May Moore, portrait of Evelyn Chapman 1920–1928
 gelatin silver photograph 14.8 x 8.4 

The podcast

Ep. 40 Amber Wallis

Amber Wallis has carved out a distinctive space in contemporary painting with canvases that blend abstraction and figuration, intimacy and intensity. Her art often emerges from deeply personal narratives. 

Amber holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts from the Canberra School of Art and a Master of Visual Arts from the Victorian College of the Arts. The VCA years were formative: she pushed an already fluid practice toward a deliberately unstable seam between figuration and abstraction, learning to let images “stain” their way into being on raw or lightly primed linen. 

In 2008 Amber won the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship, one of Australia’s most significant awards for an emerging painter. The prize took her to Paris for a three-month residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts, and we had an interesting discussion on the affect that had not just on her, but on her art. 

By 2009, Amber's raw, expressive works were exhibiting regularly along Australia’s East Coast.  

By the mid-2010s, Wallis had consolidated a national profile. 

Amber's work entered more collections and she was shortlisted for major prizes: Sunshine Coast Art Prize, the Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize and the Evelyn Chapman Art Award. In 2022, she won the inaugural Wollumbin Art Award and has been a finalist in numerous other awards including the Sir John Sulman Prize (twice), Bayside Painting Prize, Geelong Contemporary Art Award.

It was a really interesting conversation as we covered a lot of her life and art. 

Head to the link in my bio to hear this episode.

Amber is represented in Brisbane by Jan Murphy Gallery

Images

1. AW by Kate Holmes

2. Women 2020 oil on linen 120x150

3. Soft figure 2025 oil on linen 135x120

4. Glowing house structure 2025 oil on linen 135x120

5. Orange warm protective watchers 2024 oil on linen 150x120

The podcast

Ep. 39 Justine Kong Sing

A conversation with Monique Watkins (AGNSW)

A few of Justine Kong Sing's works are on display at the new exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW, Dangerously Modern, Australian Women Artists in Europe 1890-1940. I had the privilege of sitting down with Monique Watkins to discuss this extraordinarily talented artist who has been largely overlooked in the Australian art canon.

.....My special guest today on the podcast is curator Monique Watkins, and this discussion took place in the Art Gallery of NSW. We were discussing the relatively unknown but brilliant, Justine Kong Sing.

Monique Watkins is a curator, writer and editor with experience working at leading cultural organisations in Sydney, including Kaldor Public Art Projects, White Rabbit Gallery and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. She contributed an essay on Justine for the accompanying book to the exhibition Dangerously Modern: Australian Women Artists in Europe 1890-1940. Monique's research has helped pave the way for a wider appreciation of Justine's work.

Justine Kong Sing grew up in rural New South Wales during the 1870s and 1880s. As the daughter of a Hong Kong Chinese miner, she navigated the (I guess the polite way of saying it is...) complex social landscape of late 19th and early 20th century Australia ...all the while establishing herself as a skilled artist whose work would eventually gain recognition in major galleries across Australia and Europe. It’s a fascinating story often overlooked. 

To hear our conversation head to the link in my bio above or head to wherever you find your podcasts.  

Instagram images

 1. Me, 1912

watercolour on ivory

Dimensions

6.1 x 4.5 cm

2. Chums 1911

Materials used

watercolour on ivory

Dimensions

9.5 x 7.4 cm 

3. Madame Sze, wife of the Chinese Minister
 (c. 1914-1916)

watercolour on ivory

Measurements
 9.5 × 7.7 cm

The podcast

Ep. 38 Robyn Sweaney

 Robyn Sweaney is a contemporary artist who began exhibiting her work regularly from about 1992. 

Her early work included still-life compositions, landscapes, and portraiture. 

After relocating to northern New South Wales, she was inspired by her surrounds by painting houses. She could merge her philosophical interests with visual storytelling. And the paintings are beautifully reminiscent. But not in a ‘I prefer the old days’ sort of way. She just captures a moment. 

More specifically... “Domestic dwellings divulge more than their mere exteriors, functioning as physical incarnations of the aesthetic, ideological and social structures influencing human behaviour. Informed by travel through familiar and unfamiliar rural and suburban places, Robyn finds that, ‘certain elements of place resonate an unexplainable reaction within me – something ignites deep within memory. The landscape is somehow opened up by the search itself and my response can reach beyond its visual appearance’.”

Her work has been described as emotional portraits of place, capturing the essence of lived experience through facades and fences. 

Robyn has been involved in over one hundred group exhibitions. She was the winner of the Wynne Trustees’ Watercolour Prize, AGNSW (2019) and has been the finalist of many major awards including multiple times for the Wynne Prize, Salon Des Refusés, Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Prize, Mosman Art Prize, Paddington Art Prize, Moran Prize, Portia Geach Memorial Award and has also been a finalist in the Sulman Prize. Her work is held in public and private collections throughout Australia.

Head to the link in my bio for our podcast conversation

Images 

RS image: Danny Sweaney, Oh Boy Agency

Dreams and Imaginings, 2024

acrylic on polycotton

40 x 50 cm, 42.5 x 52.5 cm

Endless Blue, 2024

acrylic on polycotton

50 x 70 cm, 52.5 x 72.5 cm

Out of the Blue, 2024

acrylic on polycotton

95 x 135 cm, 97.5 x 137.5 cm 

Parts of the whole, 2025

acrylic on polycotton

50 x 70 cm, 52.5 x 72.5 cm

The podcast

Ep. 37 Daphne Mayo and Vida Lahey - 

A conversation with Samantha Littley QAGOMA

Samantha Littley is a distinguished Australian art curator who, for the last 6 years has been the Curator of Australian Art at the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. With a diverse background spanning major cultural institutions including the Australian War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia, and Australian National University, Samantha brings extensive expertise to contemporary and historical Australian art and is the curator of the magnificent ‘Under a Modern Sun: Art in Queensland 1930s–1950s’ at the Queensland Art Gallery from 16 August 2025. 

Vida Lahey and Daphne Mayo feature in the exhibition. 

Vida Lahey was a pioneering Australian artist whose work and advocacy played a formative role in Queensland’s cultural development. Known for her vibrant still lifes, sensitive landscapes, and iconic painting "Monday Morning”. 

Daphne Mayo MBE was known for her work in sculpture, particularly the tympanum of Brisbane City Hall and the Women's War Memorial in ANZAC Square. She’s one of Australia's most significant C20th sculptors at a time when the field was overwhelmingly dominated by men. She created some of Brisbane's most iconic public monuments but also challenged societal expectations.

Their work together in advocating for arts and artists in Qld is legendary.

Head to the link in my bio for the episode

Images

1.  DM working on Bris City Hall Tympanum 1930

2.   Working on Qld’s Women’s War Memorial 1932

3.   Fat man 1940 bronze 29 x 9.8 x 15

4.   VL Monday morning 1912 oil on canvas 153 x 122.7

5.   Sultry noon (Central Station Brisbane) 1931 oil on canvas on plywood 44.7x49.2

6.   Building the bridge 1931 watercolour & gouache over pencil on wove paper on         cardboard 25.3 x 30.3

7.   Art and nature 1934 watercolour 52.5 x 60.6 (includes the relief by DM)

8.  A mixed bunch 1936 watercolour on cream wove paper 40 x 40

The podcast

Ep. 36 Del Kathryn Barton

Del Kathryn Barton is one of Australia’s most recognisable and collectible artists. 

She is known for her intricate and almost psychedelic works. Her practice spans painting, sculpture, and film. 

She is a two-time winner of the prestigious Archibald Prize - only the second woman to do that in the Prize’s 104-year history. 

Her art explores the complexities of the human experience, particularly femininity, sexuality, and motherhood, often blurring the lines between humans and nature with incredible hybrid forms.

From her award-winning painting to film collaborations with stars like Cate Blanchett, hersingular vision has made her a pre-eminent voice in Australian art.

We had a lovely, far-ranging chat and her outlook and advice has been honed over a long and very successful career not just in Australia but internationally. 

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen to the podcast. 

Instagram Images

1. DKB by Anna Kucera

2. You are what is most beautiful about me, a self portrait with Kell and Arella, 2008 Synthetic polymer paint, watercolour, gouache and pen on polyester canvas, 280x180 Archibald winner

3. Hugo, 2013 Watercolour, gouache and acrylic on canvas 200x180 Archibald winner

4. Mother (a portrait of Cate), 2011, watercolour, gouache, acrylic and pen on polyester canvas 240x180 Archibald finalist

5. Come of things, 2010, synthetic polymer paint, gouache, watercolour and pen on polyester canvas, 240 x 360

The podcast

Ep. 34 Margaret Olley AC – a conversation with Professor Lisa Slade

This is a fascinating and impassioned insight into the life of one of Australia’s most beloved artists.

I’m talking with Professor Lisa Slade about the legendary Australian artist, Margaret Olley.

Professor Lisa Slade is the Hugh Ramsay Chair in Australian Art History in the School of Culture and Communication at the University of Melbourne. She is both a curator and art historian and between 2015 and 2024 she was Assistant Director, Artistic Programs at the Art Gallery of South Australia. Until 2024 Lisa was Chair of The National Cultural Heritage Committee and between 2014 and 2019 she served as the Chair of Artlink Australia. She is a national voice for artists and art history with decades of experience as a keynote speaker, broadcaster, mentor and educator.

Margaret stands as one of Australia's most beloved and accomplished artists whose distinctive still life paintings and vibrant use of colour established her as a central figure in twentieth-century Australian art. Over a career spanning more than six decades, she held over 90 solo exhibitions. Margaret Olley developed a unique artistic voice that celebrated the beauty of everyday objects while maintaining deep connections to both European artistic traditions and the distinctive character of Australian life. 

And, outside of her own work, it was what she did for art and artists generally through her benevolence and mentoring and much, much more, that is almost as astonishing.

Head to the link in my bio for our conversation

Instagram Images (more to follow)

Portrait Margaret Olley, Greg Weight 1991

Still life with pink fish, 1948, oil on cheesecloth on hardboard 76.3x97

Margaret Olley, William Dobell, 1948 oil on hardboard 114x85 Archibald winner
  

Portrait in the mirror, 1948 oil on hardboard 68x84
  

Chinese screen and yellow room 1996 oil on hardboard 75x75

Margaret Olley, Ben Quilty 2011 oil on linen 170x150 Archibald winner

The podcast

Ep. 33 Lottie Consalvo

Lottie Consalvo is one of Australia's most thought-provoking contemporary artists. 

Through her abstract paintings, sculptures, video and performance works, she transcends the boundaries of the visible and tangible, pushing into the mind's capacity to explore the unbound possibilities of our existence and what lies beyond. 

Lottie challenges conventional notions of reality and urges us to embrace what is unseen and unknown. She explores what she calls "the invisible world"—the realm of thought, imagination, dreams, and psychological states that exist beyond the tangible.

She’s had 19 solo shows and countless more group exhibitions and 15 performance-based works. In 2023 she was named as one of Australia’s 100 most collectable artists. She recently had her first solo show with her new gallery, Nanda Hobbs, and in 2025 she won the Muswellbrook Art Prize and was a finalist in the Mosman Art Prize.

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen to our conversation. 

Images (most of which are referred to in our conversation):

1.   Portrait by Ben Adams

2.   Bouquet of hope 2025, acrylic on linen, 180x120cm

3.   Do You Remember The Roses 2021, performance documentation

4.   In Awe 2024, acrylic on hardboard, 160x140cm 

5.   Like a bell under water 2025, Single-channel video

6.   Name-less (V) 2025, acrylic on archival paper, 59.4x42cm

7.   RaRa 2025, acrylic on hardboard, 200x120cm

8.   Sentimental 2025, acrylic on linen, 168x137cm

The podcast

Ep. 32 Dr Bronwyn Bancroft AM

Bronwyn Bancroft is a proud Bundjalung Woman and Artist.

 Her career has included both national and international exhibitions and her work has been acquired by all major Australian galleries, state libraries, and private collections. She has undertaken numerous public commissions, which allow her to reach and educate audiences beyond traditional gallery spaces.

Bronwyn’s artistic style is immediately recognizable for its bold use of colour, intricate patterns, and dynamic compositions that exude life and energy. Her work is distinctly contemporary, incorporating modern painting techniques and innovative compositional structures.

She has also been a trailblazer in children's literature, having published nearly 50 books. She's been a director of her own company, Designer Aboriginals, since 1985. And in 1987 was one of the first Australian fashion designers to be invited to exhibit her works in Paris. 

 She has a long history of involvement in community and arts administration, has a Diploma of Visual Arts, two master's, and a PhD in visual arts.

 Bronwyn Bancroft is an artist, an author and illustrator, a leader and mentor. She has inspired and directly supported countless emerging artists, sharing her hard-earned wisdom and nurturing new talent.

 Bronwyn has a retrospective opening on October 24th at Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative in Leichhardt NSW. Copy and paste this link in your browser for details:

https://boomalli.com.au/events/i-am-gurgun/

Head to the link in my bio for our podcast conversation. 

Images

1.        BB

2.      You don't even look Aboriginal, 1991, watercolour, photograph, collage on                  paper 110x75.7

3.        My Woman, My Country, 1995, watercolour, gouache on paper, 76x75.5

4.        Cloud over past generations, 1991, colour screenprint 56.6x65.6

5.         Lionsville Livin’, 2015, acrylic on canvas, 300x200

6.          Vivid Festival 2025, 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘋𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘛𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭 created by Dr. Bronwyn Bancroft                 in collaboration with Chas Clarkson

The podcast

Ep. 31 Eleanor Louise Butt

My guest on today’s podcast for Australian Women Artists is contemporary artist Eleanor Louise Butt. 

She’s celebrated for her abstract paintings where colour, texture, line, and form converge to bristle with gestural energy and movement...we explore that during our conversation because I find that fascinating. 

Her work evolves from studio experimentation and her approach to artmaking is deeply philosophical, viewing painting as a form of visual conversation. She describes observing her paintings developing "like a conversation, whereby each mark influences the next.” Again, something we needed to explore.  Eleanor has received numerous accolades throughout her career. 

She won the Muswellbrook Art Prize for painting and the George Hicks Award. She’s been a finalist in multiple prestigious prizes, including the Geelong Contemporary Art Prize, Len Fox Painting Award, Bayside Acquisitive Art Prize, Muswellbrook Art Prize, Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize, Waverley Art Prize, Macquarie Group Emerging Artist Prize, and M-Collection Art Award. Her work is held in significant public and private collections globally.

Head to my bio to have a listen to her episode.

She will have work at the Sydney Contemporary where she will also be giving a talk (link below).

Eleanor’s artist talk at Sydney Contemporary, Sep 11 2-3pm, is listed here: https://sydneycontemporary.com.au/event/artist-talk-eleanor-louise-butt-chloe-in-conversation-on-the-booth/

She is represented by @comagallery

 1. ELB image supplied by artist 

2.Unfolding Abstraction, Thinking Three-Dimensionally 2022 Oil on linen 152 x 168cm with drop-shadow

3.Unfolding Orange Abstraction 2023 Oil on cotton 25.5 x 35cm 

4. The Garden’s Embrace oil on linen, 167x127

5. Eleanor’s Porthmeor Studio, Cornwall, UK 2019

6. Within the Garden (Autumn Painting 2) 2022 oil on cotton 160x200 purchased by MCA

Welcome to another edition of AWA artists of influence. 

For those who’ve heard some of these podcasts, you’ll remember that the last question I ask is: Is there an Australian woman artist who has inspired or influenced you and if so, who and how?

I’ve decided to explore a little further the artists who were named as influences by my podcast guests. 

In ep. 2 I asked this question of critically acclaimed Australian photomedia artist Tamara Dean. And her response was Carol Jerrems.

Carol Jerrems (1949-1980) stands as one of Australia's most significant photographers, despite a career tragically cut short. 

In her brief but prolific working life, she created an extraordinary body of work that captured the spirit, struggles, and raw beauty of Australian youth in the 1970s.

Head to the link in my bio to hear about Carol (or whichever platform you find your podcasts).

Both Tamara and I refer to Carol’s work, ‘Vale Street’ (1975). This platform prevents the image being reproduced but copy and paste this link in your browser to have a look.

https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/46.1979/

And while you’re looking at Carol’s work, take a look also at Tamara Dean’s photographic work and see if you can see the influences on her that she talks about. You can see more of Tamara’s work at www.tamaradean.com.au

Images

1.     CJ by Stuart Holmes

2.     Self Portrait, Kingsgate Hyatt Hotel Room, 1973 Kings Cross

3.     Rita on the couch at Killcare Beach, 1976 NGA

4.     Edols seeing Gulpilil with a bucket 1974 NGA

5.     Jenny Bonnette 1974 NGA

The Podcast

Ep 29 Anne Ryan on artist Lesley Dumbrell

I was very lucky to have had the opportunity to have a fabulous conversation with Anne Ryan on the incredible Australian artist, Lesley Dumbrell. 

 Anne Ryan is one of Australia's leading art curators. She serves as Curator of Australian Art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, where she oversees the prestigious collection of Australian prints, drawings and watercolours. She pursued her studies at the Univ. of Syd and NSW and served as the Sarah & William Holmes Scholar in the Depts of Prints & Drawings at the British Museum. 

 Anne has curated various exhibitions and publications focusing on historical and contemporary Australian art and artists with a particular interest in women artists. Amongst many other things, she has curated the annual Archibald, Wynne, and Sulman Prizes eight times since 2015. 

 Lesley Dumbrell is a pioneering abstract painter celebrated for her precise geometric abstract paintings and mastery of colour and rhythm. Over more than five decades, she has forged her own path in a male-dominated genre, becoming a leading figure in the country’s abstraction movement and a passionate advocate for women in art, notably co-founding the Women’s Art Register in 1976 which archives living female artists. 

 Lesley’s work explores the dynamic interplay between colour, perception, and environment, and is held in major national collections, including the National Gallery of Australia and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. 

 She very recently, at age 82, attended her first comprehensive solo exhibition at AGNSW...her first survey in a state art museum – curated by none other than my guest, Anne Ryan.

 It’s a fabulous insight and Anne was fortunate enough to have spent a great deal of time with Lesley in putting not only the exhibition Thrum together, but the amazing book that accompanied that exhibition. 

Head to the link in my bio to find the podcast.

Images – supplied by AGNSW

1.   LD 

2.   Solstice, 1974 liquitex on canvas, 173x296

3.   Spangle, 1977 liquitex on canvas 149x210

4.   Columbine, 2008 liquitex on canvas 172x228

The Podcast 

Episode 28

Artists of Influence: Anne Ferguson (influencing Jo Bertini, ep. 1)

Hi everyone and welcome to a special edition of AWA. In light of a recent delay in recording of a podcast episode I came up with the idea of elaborating on an aspect of the podcast. 

For those who’ve heard some of these podcasts, you’ll remember that the last question I ask is:  Is there an Australian woman artist who has inspired or influenced you and if so, who and how?

And, because there were a lot of names given to me that I wasn’t aware of (which is no surprise to those who’ve listened to the podcasts – but that’s precisely why I’m doing this...to become more aware)...I thought it might be appropriate to then highlight those artists who were named as influences, by the artists I’ve had a conversation with...if that makes sense. 

And I wanted to do a bit of my own research on that influential artist as well as finding some of their art and putting it up on Instagram. So, if you’re interested I’d love it if you went over to the Instagram account (@australianwomenartists) and started following that and you could see the pieces being spoken about. 

So, the first time I asked this question was to Jo Bertini....

Images:

1. Anne Ferguson at work

2. Australian Servicewomen's memorial, 1999

3. and 4. Waterfall sculpture, 1977

The Podcast

Ep. 27. Adrienne Doig

Adrienne Doig is one of Australia's most distinctive contemporary artists.

She has spent over three decades transforming the landscape of self-portraiture. Her art is celebrated for its wit, humour, and incisive social commentary, often realised through textiles, embroidery, video, and performance. 

She has an unwavering commitment to placing herself—literally and figuratively—at the centre of her creative practice. 

Her formative years were characterized by an early exposure to both traditional craft techniques and contemporary artistic movements. This dual influence would become a defining characteristic of her mature work. 

I don’t think it’s any exaggeration to say that Adrienne’s contribution to Australian contemporary art extends far beyond her individual works. Her innovative and pioneering use of traditional craft techniques has been instrumental in breaking down the hierarchies that traditionally separated craft from fine art. 

She’s had around 2 dozen solo exhibitions and is held in many public and private collections both here and overseas.

Head to the link in my bio to listen to our podcast conversation

Adrienne is represented by Martin Browne Contemporary and some of her works are available there.  

Images:

1.        AD supplied

2.        Feminist Cliche (Dresden Plate), 2012 Patchwork, applique and embroidery on linen 99 x 77 cm

3.        Self-portrait as Aphrodite, 2023, Mixed Media 67.5 x 16.5 x 16.5 cm

4.        Scene 1, 2020, embroidery, applique and paint on needlepoint 59 x 94 cm

5.        Extra, 2018, Embroidery on tapestry, 42 x 45 cm

6.        On the Edge, 2015, Acrylic, fabric, patchwork, applique and embroidery on canvas, 110 x 84 cm

7.        Jenny Kee, Flamingo Park, 2022, Acrylic on wood, Dimensions variable

The podcast

Ep. 25  Amber Boardman

Amber Boardman is an American-born artist who would eventually establish herself as a significant figure in the contemporary Australian art scene. 

Her early life was shaped by the cultural landscape of the US, which would later inform her artistic exploration of social dynamics and digital culture. Her artistic development was informed by her dual interest in traditional fine arts and emerging digital media. And, as a result, her work developed to blend classical painting techniques with contemporary concerns about internet culture and social media's influence on human behaviour. 

Her formal art education began in the US, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Georgia State University, continued her studies with a Master of Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts in New York, and after migrating to Australia, completed a PhD in Fine Art at the University of New South Wales in 2018. 

So, as I see it, Amber’s life and art seem defined by a number of things: the interaction between painting and animation, American and Australian influences, and how the internet shapes social norms and individual identity. 

Over the past two decades, she has exhibited her work internationally, with shows in New York, London, Rome, Amsterdam, Miami, Atlanta, Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane

Amber is represented by Chalk Horse Gallery (Sydney), Sophie Gannon Gallery (Melbourne) and Sandler Hudson Gallery (Atlanta, USA)

Head to the link in my bio to listen to our podcast conversation.

Images

1.        AB supplied by artist

2.        Coffee Extremist, 2023, oil on canvas 152.4 x 121.9 cm

3.        The Rock of Sysyphus, Chasing Gains 2023 oil on canvas 152.4 x 182.9 cm

4.        Black Friday Sale 2019 oil on linen 213.4 x 182.9cm

5.        Crowd Surfing 2019 oil on linen 213.4 x 182.9cm

6.        Massive Touch Network 2019 oil on polyester 274.3 x 182.9cm

7.        Self-care exhaustion 2018 acrylic on polyester 183 x 183 cm

The podcast

Ep. 24 Leila Jeffreys

Leila Jeffreys is a distinguished contemporary artist renowned for her captivating photographs, moving image works, and installations that primarily feature birds. 

Leila moved to Australia from PNG and pursued formal training in photography which helped her create her unique approach...to animal portraiture. 

Her extraordinary photographs were loved by the public and she gained international recognition and featured alongside the world's most respected photographers as part of Civilisation: The Way We Live Now, a 2023 exhibition at London's Saatchi Gallery.

We talked about her early days as a photographer for Rolling Stone and how she never felt like she could get what she really wanted from the photos she took of people. And then a lightbulb moment when she followed her instincts and started photographing birds. But in a way no one had before – as portraits taken in studios. 

The resulting photographs are breathtaking. She loved photographing birds of prey. They seemed to exude a confidence (even arrogance!) that comes with being at the top of the tree. Have a look at the last couple of photos in the insta carousel to see what she means. 

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen.

Images:

1.        LJ supplied by artist. Image by Cameron Bloom

2.        Celery, 2019 Giclée print on archival fine art paper
 112 x 89 cm Series: High Society

3.        Redmond Red-Capped Robin, 2015 Giclée print on archival fine art paper
 52 x 61 cm Series: Songbirds

4.        Topper – burrowing owl. 2014, Giclée print on archival fine art paper

91x72

5.        Banded Stilt egg, 2024 Giclée print on archival fine art paper
 110 x 86 cm  Series: Stillness

6.        Red-head, 2022, Giclée print on archival fine art paper
 110 x 71 cm140 x 90 cm Series: The wound is the place where the light enters

7.        Burnt Branch, 2022, Giclée print on archival fine art paper
 86 x 110 cm Series: The wound is the place where the light enters

8.        Soren, Wedge-tailed Eagle 2014, fine art inkjet print on archival cotton rag paper
 44 x 35 inches Series: Prey

9.        Darcy Brown Falcon 2014, fine art inkjet print on archival cotton rag paper
 44 x 35 inches Series: Prey

The podcast

Ep. 23    Yvette Coppersmith

Yvette Coppersmith stands as one of Australia's most distinctive contemporary artists.

Her career has been marked by a profound exploration of portraiture, identity, and the human condition. She has challenged traditional boundaries between painting and photography while examining themes of gender, representation, and psychological depth. 

She graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts and won the inaugural Metro Prize in 2003 and has previously been selected as a finalist in the Darling Portrait Prize, Arthur Guy Memorial Award, Geelong Contemporary Art Prize, the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, the Portia Geach Memorial Award. 

And, in 2018, after multiple Archibald finalist hangings, she became the 10th woman to win the Archibald Prize for her painting Self Portrait, after George Lambert. 

It’s been said that her sophisticated exploration of portraiture has contributed to a renewed interest in this traditional genre. I can vouch for the fact that it has had that effect on me.  

It was a fascinating discussion where we spoke about her amazing portrait of Gillian Triggs which (somehow) didn’t win the Archibald and, of course, her self-portrait the following year, which did! We talked about her fascinating process and how she creates these portraits that seem to me to go well beyond the surface image. 

Her work is held in numerous public and private collections and she is represented in Australia by Sullivan + Strumpf. 

 Head to the link in my bio to hear this podcast conversation. 

Images

1.        YC. Supplied by artist. Taken at Hong Kong Art Basel, 'Heirloom' solo show

2.        Yvette Coppersmith Self-portrait, after George Lambert (winner Archibald                   prize 2018) oil and acrylic on linen 132 x 112 cm

3.        John Safran (Archibald finalist 2009) oil and acrylic on plywood 120 x 180                   cm

4.        Professor Gillian Triggs (Archibald finalist 2017) oil on linen 137.5 x 110 cm

5.        Banded Field, 2022, Oil on jute, 99cm x 122cm, Finalist Ravenswood                             Women’s Art Prize

6.        Self-portrait with Egret, 2018 Oil on linen 107 × 87 cm

The podcast

Ep. 22

Belinda Fox

Belinda stands as one of Australia's most accomplished contemporary multidisciplinary artists, whose work traverses the boundaries between printmaking, painting, ceramics, sculpture, drawing, and glass. 

It's a lovely wide ranging discussion covering her career as a master printer collaborating with the likes of John Olsen and Tim Storrier and their generosity which is an integral part of who she is as well, her decision to change her career path from facilitating the vision of others' to developing and expressing your own artistic voice, her growing international presence and the incredible value of residencies both in Australia and overseas and how she got the best out of them.

Her journey is really quite a remarkable evolution from dedicated student to internationally recognized multidisciplinary artist. 

Her career was built on technical mastery and thrives on collaborative experiences and an unwavering commitment to exploring the complexities of contemporary human existence. 

She has received a number of awards including the Northern Beaches Environmental Art & Design Award, Paul Guest Drawing Prize and Burnie Print Prize and been a finalist in many other awards. 

We are having this conversation in her fabulous Melbourne studio. 

Belinda is represented by @arthousegallery and @australiangalleries and Maybaum Gallery, CA, USA. www.maybaumgallery.com (@maybaumgallery)

The images are a sneak preview of Belinda's upcoming exhibition, Tipping the Scales (her fifth solo exhibition with Maybaum Gallery in San Francisco). They presenting a new body of paintings that explores growth and the restorative energy of nature in a time of deep uncertainty. In a world marked by conflict, displacement, and environmental crisis, these works offer a quiet resistance—an intentional act of optimism. They seek to tip the scales toward compassion, healing, and a sense of renewal.

Created using layering of watercolour, ink, pen, collage, spray acrylic, and encaustic wax

Images 1-4: Pia Johnson; 5-8: Andrew Curtis

The Podcast

Ep. 21 June Tupicoff

June Tupicoff has been described as "one of Australia’s very best artists” and "the great Australian painter you’ve probably never heard of".

June is a Brisbane based artist whose work focuses on an inherent interest in the Australian landscape.

She actually grew up in the lush, rural environment of Victoria, and, I dare say as a direct result, developed an early sensitivity to the Australian landscape—a theme that evolved and matured with her move to Qld. 

By the 1970s, she had begun to establish herself as an artist, initially working primarily in abstraction. Eventually her artistic focus began to shift from pure abstraction to a more overt engagement with the Australian landscape in particular the unique ecosystems of coastal south-east Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales. 

Her paintings and pastel drawings are notable for their sensitive rendering of light, colour, and form, and her work has been described as demonstrating, ‘a deepening commitment to environmental observation and a nuanced understanding of place.’

Head to the link in my bio to hear about 'the great Australian painter you’ve probably never have heard of’. 

June is represented by @philipbacongalleries

Images:Pale skyline, 2022

pastel on Sennelier card, 50 x 65 cm

Grass trees, 2022
pastel on Sennelier card
50 x 65cm

Spanning the slope, 2022
pastel on Sennelier card, 50 x 65 cm
Lilac sent downwind, 2024
pastel on Mi-Teintes paper, 52 x 72 cm
Sun-bleached fen, 2024
oil on linen, 138 x 184 cm

The Podcast

Ep. 20.    Louisa Chircop

Louisa stands as a compelling figure in contemporary Australian art.

Her work transcends geographical boundaries while exploring the intricate connections between identity, memory, and cultural heritage. She has established herself as a versatile artist working primarily in mixed media, photomontage, collage, and painting, creating works that speak to both personal and collective experiences of displacement, belonging, and the search for meaning in an increasingly fragmented world. 

She is the daughter of Maltese Australian parents, and her formative years were shaped by the complex legacy of her grandparents, who left Malta after WWII. And that influence would remain part of her art to this day. 

Throughout her career, Louisa has received numerous accolades and significant recognition including winning the James Gleeson Prize for Surrealism twice and her work has been acquired for the Kedumba Collection, one of Australia’s most highly regarded public collections of contemporary drawing. She has been a finalist in the Dobell Prize for Drawing, the Portia Geach Memorial Award, the Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize, and the Hazelhurst National Art on Paper Prize amongst many others.

Her most ambitious and historically significant project, "Grotto Girl," is currently showing in Malta. It seems to me to represent the culmination of her artistic journey and her most profound engagement with her Maltese heritage.

 We’re having this conversation between Sydney and Malta

Images

1.        LC by Henry Zammit Cordina

2.        Whiteley paints Rembrandt then I paint Whiteley and Rembrandt, 2019,mixed media and photomontage on Arches 76x56

3.        Bath Blues after Whiteley 2019 mixed media ad photomontage on Arches 76x56

4.        Self as water feature 2020 mixed media and photomontage on watercolour paper 103x66

5.        Beneath the Paper Rain, mixed media and photomontage on hand painted archival pigment print on cotton rag, 173x130

6.        The installation on the 450 year old well in the central courtyard

The podcast 

Ep. 18 

Ann Thomson

Ann Thomson stands as one of Australia’s most eminent contemporary painters and sculptors. 

Her early passion for art was fostered by influential art figures in Brisbane and in 1957, she relocated to Sydney to pursue formal studies. Her paintings are celebrated for their vibrant, expressive compositions and their ability to evoke a sense of place without resorting to literal representation. Her style is marked by bold brushwork, dynamic colour relationships, and, as a curator described it, ‘a refusal to allow any element to recede passively into the background’. 

Another hallmark of Ann’s work is her ability to oscillate between abstraction and landscape, often within the same piece. Although the term ‘abstraction’ doesn’t necessarily resonate with her. 

Over the course of her career, Ann has received numerous accolades. In addition to the Wynne Prize, she has been awarded the Sydney Morning Herald Art Prize, the Kedumba Drawing Prize, the Geelong Contemporary Art Prize, and the Tattersall’s Art Prize in Brisbane. 

Her legacy is evident not only in her own prolific output but also in the generations of artists she has influenced and inspired. As she continues to paint and exhibit well into her ninth decade, Ann Thomson remains a vital force in contemporary art, her work a testament to the enduring power of creativity and the endless possibilities of abstraction

We are having this conversation in Ann’s fabulous Sydney studio.

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation

The Podcast

Ep. 17.      Janet Laurence

Janet Laurence is a leading Sydney based artist who exhibits nationally and internationally. 

For four decades, she has captivated audiences with her multidisciplinary practice spanning photography, sculpture, installation, and video. Her work is a profound expression of her deep concern for the environment, ethics, and the intricate interconnectedness of all living things. 

She employs a diverse range of natural materials, including living plant matter, minerals, and oxides. Underlying themes of alchemical transformation, history, and perception weave through her evocative installations. 

She is known for her immersive environments and significant public artworks, often created in collaboration with architects, scientists, and environmentalists. She is an expert at translating scientific concepts into an artistic visual experience. Her work often explores fragility and loss but balances these themes with hope and empathy.

Janet invites viewers to forge a deeper, more experiential relationship with the natural world. Her works are both visually stunning and deeply thought-provoking, making her a vital voice in contemporary artistic discourse. 

She has represented Australia at international exhibitions including the 1997 Venice Biennale and has participated in major exhibitions in Europe, Asia, and North America. 

We had this conversation in her Sydney studio (shared with some pretty noisy engineers upstairs that you may hear) and she was about to leave for Berlin to set up her new exhibition. 

Head to the link in my bio to listen to our conversation. 

The podcast

Ep. 16    Emma Coulter

Emma is a leading figure in contemporary Australian art, renowned for her bold explorations of colour, space, and perception. 

Her practice spans painting, sculpture, site-specific installation, and large-scale public art, consistently pushing the boundaries of how art interacts with its environment and audience. 

You may have seen her work that wraps around the Metro Tunnel’s building façade in central Melbourne spanning more than 100 metres. In fact, she has completed over 30 site-specific installations, including more than 10 major public art commissions. 

One of the most defining features of Emma’s art is her use of colour. She works with a carefully curated palette of pre-mixed, commercially produced paints through which she aims to evoke an immediate, visceral response in viewers. As a result, her art is instantly recognisable through that vibrant colour, geometric clarity, and spatial ambition. 

Emma is a regular finalist in Australia’s top art prizes and has received a steady stream of awards and grants. She has exhibited widely, both nationally and internationally. Since her first solo show in 2005, she has participated in numerous institutional, commercial, and artist-run exhibitions, with highlights including installations in New York and Germany. 

Her current exhibition, 'superimposition' is at James Makin Gallery in Melbourne until 24 May. So quick sticks if you want to see it. 

www.emmacoulter.com.au

www.jamesmakingallery.com

Instagram images:

1.        Emma Coulter. Image from our conversation (supplied by artist) (you can see why I thought she had designed her own dress!)

2. and 3. spatial deconstruction #23 (resilience), 2021 to 2023 synthetic polymer paint on precast façade 120 metres long x 7 metres height (wraps Swanston St and Flinders Lane facades)

4.      spatial deconstruction #15 (gemstone with fireplace), 2016 synthetic polymer paint on wall, floor and architrave, existing fireplace. 280h x 350l x 100d (winner 2016 Linden Art Prize)

5.      let them feel the light, 2023 painted aluminium, coloured glass and LED panels. 12 metres H x 10 metres W and variable depth ranging from 150 to 300cm total length climbing up over 25 metres wrapped around curved brick wall with integrated steel fixings. 

6.      Hybrid models for the future, 2024 synthetic polymer paint on linen 167x167x3.2cm

The Podcast

Ep. 15    Virginia Cuppaidge

Virginia Cuppaidge stands as a significant figure in contemporary abstract painting, whose work was formed in Australia and then blossomed in New York where she moved to be in the epicentre of abstract art. 

We talked about arriving in NY in 1969 and being wide eyed for a year. Taking it all in. She was surrounded by the works of Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Lee Krasner. It was an enormously influential time for a 26-year-old from Brisbane.

Virginia's paintings are characterised by their luminous colour fields, ethereal atmospheric effects, and beautiful handling of space. Her distinctive use of acrylic paint—applied in thin, transparent layers (at times 40 layers!) — creates a sense of depth and radiance that invites contemplation.

Over her five-decade career, Virginia has exhibited widely in prestigious galleries and museums across the United States and Australia. Her work resides in major collections including the National Gallery of Australia, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.

After spending nearly fifty years in New York's vibrant art scene, Virginia returned to Newcastle Australia in 2008, bringing with her a wealth of experience and a unique artistic perspective. And I caught up with her in her Newcastle studio. 

And her work and innovation continues. Virginia has an exhibition currently at the Maitland Regional Gallery until 22 June 2025.

Images:

                  1               Lyon, 1972 synthetic polymer paint on canvas                  1985hx3060wx40d

                  2               Bellegreen 1972 acrylic on canvas 200x305

                  3               Big Blue 1972 acrylic on canvas 200x305

                  4              The Big Orange, 1972, acrylic on canvas, 200 x 305cm

                  5               Californian Dream 1975 acrylic on canvas 200x305

                  6               Skyspace Moonlight 2023, acrylic on canvas, 40x90

                  7               Skyspace Desert Moon 2023, acrylic on canvas 40x90

The Podcast

Ep. 14 Susan Baird

Susan Baird has a distinctive approach to capturing the unique light and atmosphere of the Australian bush. As such, she has established herself as one of the country's most evocative contemporary painters. 

 She is known for her sensitive plein air paintings of the Australian landscape, especially of the area surrounding the historic mining town of Hill End in rural NSW where she has her studio.

 And it’s the light at Hill End which has fascinated and captivated her for decades. It’s fascinating listening to her describe it and the effect it has on her. It sounds so overwhelmingly beautiful that it makes me think that maybe I could paint it. Maybe. Actually not ever, but it’s fabulous that Susan can capture it so well.  

 Living and working between Sydney and Hill End, Susan has built a distinguished career spanning over four decades and has been the recipient of several residencies and a finalist in numerous awards, including the Calleen Art Award (7 times), Fishers Ghost Art Award, Paddington Art Prize (6 times), Mosman Art Prize (3 times), Blake Art Prize and the NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize (twice). 

 And the paintings are magnificent in real life. We are having this conversation at her latest exhibition at Defiance Gallery, 12 Mary Place, Paddington, Sydney where you can see the works for yourself from 3-24 May.

Head to the link in my bio to listen to our conversation. Try to ignore the few construction noises that pop up every now and then in the background...a natural hazard in the inner suburbs of Sydney I’m afraid. 

The podcast

(I'm afraid the recording starts with a bit of an echo off the gallery walls - but it does settle.) 

Episode 13 Emily George on Jane Sutherland

Jane Sutherland (1853–1928) was a pioneering Australian landscape painter and a key figure in the plein-air movement and the Heidelberg School. 

She defied Victorian-era gender expectations by pursuing a professional art career, encouraged by her father. She became an instrumental figure in the Heidelberg School despite having to leave the camps as women weren't allowed to stay. So she'd pack everything up every afternoon and head home. 

Her male contemporaries (McCubbin, Tom Roberts, Charles Conder) would paint what was considered heroic bush narratives. Jane Sutherland captured beautifully intimate scenes of rural Australian life often capturing women and children and putting them front and centre which was unusual for the time.

It's been said that these quieter scenes challenged the male-dominated nationalistic art of the time. Her works often contained deeper commentary on societal constraints. This perspective was one of the reasons she was a trailblazer.

She faced the dual barriers of gender discrimination and later physical disability, yet maintained her artistic vision throughout.

To discuss Jane Sutherland I was fortunate enough to be talking to Emily George. Emily is an arts professional with experience working as a gallery assistant, art advisor and client liaison. She holds a double Bachelor of Arts majoring in Art History and Film Studies from Sydney University with a focus on women artists and feminist history, and continued her studies achieving a Master of Art Curating from Sydney University shortly after. She has worked at Arthouse Gallery for the past four years.

Images of some of the works we discussed:

1. Obstruction, Box Hill, 1887 oil on canvas, 41.3x31.1cm
2. The mushroom gatherers 1895 oil on canvas 41.8x99.3
3. The mushroom gatherers (detail)
4. Little Gossips, 1888, oil on canvas, 48.5 x 36.0
5. After autumn rains, 1893, oil on canvas 61x112
6. Field naturalists, 1896 ol on canvas 80.9x121.3

The podcast

Episode 12 Wendy Sharpe AM

There can be no dispute that Wendy Sharpe is one of Australia’s most acclaimed artists. 

She is known for her strong figurative paintings, her use of narrative and a sensuous use of paint. (For my benefit – and maybe others as well - figurative art, according to the Tate Gallery in London, describes any form of modern art that retains strong references to the real world and particularly to the human figure.)

Wendy’s accolades and awards are incredibly impressive: she has won the Sulman Prize, the Archibald Prize, the Portia Geach Memorial Award (twice), the Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize...in fact, she’s been a finalist for the Archibald Prize eight times and the Sulman Prize an astonishing thirteen times. 

She has held over 70 solo exhibitions around Australia and internationally. She’s been awarded many international artist residencies including Paris (twice), Egypt, The Arctic, Antarctica (twice), Mexico, China, Ethiopia. 

But it’s the breadth of her contributions to the arts and humanity that are just as fascinating for me, we explored those in our conversation. 

I joined Wendy in her fabulous Sydney studio for this conversation.

images on instagram:

1. Magda Szubanski, Comedy and Tragedy, 2020 Archibald Finalist oil on linen 182x145

2. Lilikoi Kaos - Circus Oz, 2016 oil on canvas 210x166

3. Self Portrait with Bernard Ollis 2009 oil on canvas 180x200

4. One of the eight 5m long panels for the Annette Kellerman mural for the Cook +       Philip Pool in Sydney

5. Wendy Sharpe, Self-portrait as Diana of Erskineville, 1996 Archibald winner oil           on canvas 210x172

6. Black Sun - morning to night, 1986 Sulman Prize (joint) winner, oil on canvas

     triptych: 138 x 92 cm each

The Podcast

Episode 11 Belynda Henry

Belynda Henry is a very significant figure in contemporary Australian art, renowned particularly for her evocative landscape paintings. 

Landscapes are to her a deeply felt experience and that experience is then reflected in her immersive artistic process – sights, sounds and the feel of the environment she’s painting in. 

A multiple finalist in prestigious awards such as the Wynne and Archibald Prizes, Belynda has held over 30 solo exhibitions and achieved international acclaim, with her works acquired by collectors worldwide. 

In 2019, she was included in Thames & Hudson’s publication, ‘A Painted Landscape’, which featured the works of leading Australian landscape painters such as Elizabeth Cummings, John Olsen and Ann Thompson, in other words, esteemed company.

She’s about to have her 5th exhibition in New York. And we discuss, amongst many other things, the appeal of her Australian landscapes to an international audience. 

Head to the link in my bio to listen to our conversation. 

Images

1.   BH image supplied (@nicholas_samartis)

2.   Jilliby Creek, 2025 oil and wax on linen 122x122

3.   Golden Wattle, 2025 oil and wax on linen 152x122

4.   Eucalyptus No. 3, acrylic and pastel on canvas 215x215

5.   Full Moon Shimmer, acrylic and pastel with oil and wax on linen 152x122

6.   Louise Olsen, a beautiful summary, 2016 Archibald Prize finalist, acrylic and pastel on polyester canvas 157x116

Podcast ep. 10

Louise Olsen

A fascinating conversation with Louise Olsen.

A successful artist who, like many others before her, was able to combine that with an incredible skill for design. When I say incredible...she co-founded the now iconic global brand, Dinosaur Designs. 

We, of course, discussed her beautiful art and her processes and methodologies, her very talented mother’s art, spending two years painting in isolation in 2020 with her father John Olsen in his rural retreat, Dinosaur Designs and her first family exhibition with her artist husband and daughter amongst many other things.  

I started to feel like I was getting to know the Olsen family quite well! And I reckon Louise is quite the polymath. She has this ability to connect ideas and concepts from different fields...all with art and design at the core. 

And one of the secrets? Take your sketchbook wherever you go. It will leave an impression far greater than any photo.

Head to the link in my bio to find the podcast, or go to your favourite podcasting platform and search ‘Australian Women Artists’

‘To be an artist is to be an explorer’ Louise Olsen (AWA, 2025)

Podcast episode 9

Annika Romeyn

Annika Romeyn is an important figure in contemporary Australian art. 

This is in no small part due to her unique approach to depicting the Australian landscape and the innovative techniques she uses. Her work engages with cultural and environmental themes, and it has been described as bridging traditional landscape art and contemporary artistic practices. 

More recently she’s been a finalist in the Pro Hart Outback Art Prize, winner of the Mandy Martin Art and Environment Award, winner of the Burnie Print Prize, Winner of the National Works on Paper and the Fisher’s Ghost Art Prize amongst many others. She’s had nearly 20 solo exhibitions and many more group exhibitions. 

We talked broadly about her very distinctive and striking works that use one colour to amazing affect...and how her approach to colour has evolved over the years. 

One happy accident was discovering a rust stain on a floor of her studio that led to using a rusted steel sheet as a pallet (you’ll see it in the Instagram photos). Her work combines elements of drawing, printmaking and painting and the results are stunning. 

Join me for our conversation by heading to the link to the podcast in my bio. 

Annika is represented by the fabulous @flinderslanegallery in Melbourne and we are having this conversation in her amazing Canberra studio.

1. Image:RG

2. Guerilla Bay, 2019 watercolour monotype on paper 168x228

3. Endurance 7, 2021 watercolour monotype on paper with watercolour additions 228x168

4. Old Mutawintji Gorge 1, 2023 watercolour monotype on paper 168x228

5. Wana Karnu 2024, rust and ink on paper 240x360

6. The palette (image RG)

The podcast

Episode 8

Petrina Hicks

A really enlightening conversation with Petrina Hicks – one of Australia’s most acclaimed and influential contemporary photographers.

 She initially trained in commercial photography and recounts how this influences her seemingly simple and stylised minimalist aesthetic.

 Petrina is renowned for her large-scale, hyperreal photographs that explore female identity and challenge traditional representations of women.

Her work is characterized by the presentation of beautiful images which, on closer inspection have been described as ‘simultaneously unsettling and surreal’. 

 She explores themes of powerful women, identity, and animals, tracing the boundaries between humans and animals. He subjects are juxtaposed against simple backgrounds and, as a result, she has a very distinctive style which often draws inspiration from mythology, fairy tales, and historical art imagery.

 Petrina has had numerous solo and group exhibitions, including a major retrospective at the National Gallery of Victoria in 2019-2020. 

 Her photographs are held in Australian and international collections.

 Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation. 

She is represented by Michael Reid Galleries head to https://michaelreid.com.au/artist/petrina-hicks/

For available works

1.        PH

2.        Shenae and Jade, 2005 lightjet print 85.5x80

3.        Lauren with Fruit 2011 lightjet print 145x144

4.        The Unbearable Lightness of Being 2015 pigment print 77x100

5.        Shewolf 1 2016 pigment inkjet print 100x129

6.        Peach study 2018 pigment inkjet print 100x100

7.        Mnemosyne II 2024 archival pigment print 90x120

8.        Memento mori I 2024 pigment print on cotton rag 120x90

The Podcast

Episode 7

Dr Anne-Louise Willoughby on Nora Heysen 

Nora Heysen was a precocious talent who sold her first work at 16 to Dame Nellie Melba. Encouraged by her father, artist Sir Hans Heysen, Nora had enormous early success.

By the time she was 20 her paintings had been purchased by the state galleries of NSW, SA & Qld and held her first solo exhibition at the Royal Sth Aus Society of Arts in 1933. She was 22.

She was the 1st woman to win the Archibald and was our 1st woman war artist. 

But then...inexplicably, she fell from public view. 

In the late 1980s she was ‘rediscovered’ and a retrospective of her work put her, once more, in the spotlight. She lived to witness this and enjoy the accolades she deserved and the reputation that allowed her to move from her father’s enormous shadow. 

It was a great conversation with Dr Anne-Louise Willoughby and her book is a revelation.

Nora Heysen: A Portrait (freemantlepress.com.au)

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation.

1. Self portrait, 1932 oil on canvas 76.2x61.2 AGNSW
2. Self portrait, 1934 oil on canvas 43.1x36.3 Nat. Portrait Gallery
3. Archibald Prize Winner, Madame Elink Schuurman, 1938, oil on canvas 87x68
4. Nora Heysen with her Archibald winning portrait, Photo:Tim Clayton/Fairfax media
5. Portrait of Nora Heysen at work, 1939 gelatine silver photograph 18.5x14.2 Harold Cazneaux 
6. Matron Annie Sage, 1944, oil on canvas 76.6x56.4 Aust War Memorial
7. Intentionally hung together by Art Gallery SA (image: RG). One is by one of Australia’s greatest artists. The other is by…well, I’m going to say another of Australia’s greatest artists. Intentionally hung by AGSA next to each other. Would you know which was Hans and which was Nora? Answer below
8. Interior The Cedars (image: RG) which hosted Nellie Melba, Laurence Olivier, Edmund Hillary, Anna Pavlov, Marcel Marceau. If the walls could talk!
9. Nora Heysen at 92 in front of Hans Heysen’s Red Gold. Brenton Edwards 

Top Hans Heysen Poppies 1907 oil on canvas. Bottom Nora Heysen, Scabious, 1930 oil on canvas

The podcast

Episode 6

Eliza Gosse

Eliza Gosse paints quiet suburban scenes focused on post-war and mid-century architecture and design. Her style is influenced not only by her love of nostalgia, but by her studies in architecture. Her flat two-dimensional painting style and muted colour schemes give off a warmth and welcoming (I think). The fact that she rarely paints figures is to allow the viewer to picture themselves in these gorgeous scenes. 

But when she does paint figures...they go alright too. Twice chosen as a finalist in the Archibald!

Eliza Gosse graduated with a Master of Fine Art from the Nat Art School, Sydney in 2019. Her work has been exhibited in public and private galleries since 2016. Gosse’s work has been selected for numerous awards and prizes including the Archibald Prize (2023, 2022) and Wynne Prize (2020), Paddington Art Prize (2023, 2021) and won the Mosman Alan Gamble Award (2022) and the John Olsen Drawing Prize (2017). In 2024 she was awarded a Bundanon Trust Residency. 

It was a great, easy conversation. I’m sure you’ll enjoy her story. 

Eliza Gosse is currently practicing in Sydney and represented by Edwina Corlette Gallery (Brisbane) and Olsen Gallery (Sydney) and this conversation took place in her fabulous converted pizza restaurant in Sydney.

To listen to our conversation, head to the link in my bio or search ‘Australian Women Artists’ wherever you find your podcasts. 

Paintings

1.    Grapefruit, Burnt Toast and Raspberry Jam 2023 acrylic on canvas 132x122

2.    Eucalyptus and Gum-nuts Collected From An Afternoon Walk 2023 acrylic on canvas 152x182

3.    Ocean Views Can be Glimpsed Beyond 2023 acrylic on canvas 180x150

4.    In My Grandmother’s Garden (a preview glimpse from Eliza’s new solo show at Edwina Corlette Gallery opening 9/5/25

5.    Breakfast at Ours (Archibald finalist) 2023 oil on board 2 panels, 137.5x86.6 and 145.5x97

The podcast

Episode 5 Margaret Ackland

Margaret is a four times Archibald finalist and is renowned for her expressive and vibrant use of colour. 

Besides the Archibald accolades, she has had 36 solo exhibitions, been a part of 37 group exhibitions, and I’m almost not exaggerating when I say about a thousand other finalist awards including Portia Geach Memorial Award, Hazelhurst Art on Paper, Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, The Blake Prize and the Salon des Refuses. 

She is represented in a range of national and private collections. Her work was on the front cover of the 2023 July edition of Art Almanac, and she has been featured in Italian Vogue and on ABC TV’s ‘Compass’ series. 

In other words, I reckon one of this country’s great artists. We’re having this conversation in her fabulous Sydney studio.

Images referred to in our conversation

1. Taken by RG

2. From Vestiges exhibition. Vestiges, 2013 oil on canvas 183x152

3. From Social Distancing exhibition. Apocalypse Now (June 2020) watercolour on paper 25x25

4. From Balancing Act exhibition. A Balancing Act, 2022 watercolour on paper 85x90

5. From Lifelines exhibition. Lifelines, 2024 watercolour on paper 150x100

The Podcast

Episode 4

Jennifer Higgie on Clarice Beckett

Jennifer Higgie is an internationally respected arts writer and art historian who has lived and worked in London for many years. 

She is a novelist, screenwriter, art critic and former editor of the London-based contemporary arts magazine Frieze. She was the presenter of Bow Down, a podcast about women in art history, and has just published Season 2 of Artist’s Artists - the podcast she hosts for the National Gallery of Australia. 

Her latest books are The Other Side: A Journey into Women, Art and the Spirit World; and The Mirror and the Palette: 500 Years of Women’s Self-Portraits.

Her own life is worthy of its own podcast for Australian Women Artists, but she is my guest today and joins me at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, to discuss the incredible Australian artist, Clarice Beckett. 

I think it would be fair to say Clarice Beckett is one of the most original artists of early twentieth-century Australia. She is known for her innovative use of colour and tone and light to create quite an incredible atmosphere in which the subject matter of a painting exists. This ‘tonalism’ was controversial and criticised, but she persisted and soon became its greatest exponent surpassing, many say, her outspoken teacher Max Meldrum.

But, as you will probably come to appreciate with these artists in history, Clarice was very much underappreciated in her lifetime and, after her death she was largely forgotten until an incredibly fortunate and lucky set of circumstances led to her rediscovery.

It’s an amazing story and one that I’m sure you’ll enjoy. 

Head to the link in my bio for my podcast conversation with Jennifer Higgie on the incredible Clarice Beckett.

Jennifer's books, including  The Other Side: A Journey into Women, Art and the Spirit World; and The Mirror and the Palette: Rebellion, Revolution and Resistance: 500 Years of Women’s Self-Portraits can be found at the following link: https://www.jenniferhiggie.com/books-publications 

The Podcast

Episode 3   eX de Medici 

I should start by saying that eX de Medici is a very private person (but very generous - delicious pastries and coffee on arrival!). She eschews social media, is very private about her personal life, and rarely allows herself to be photographed (or filmed). Her art does the talking for her. I was very fortunate to therefore have this opportunity to have this wonderful conversation with her in her fabulous studio in Canberra.

eX de Medici’s paintings have been described as ‘a mirror to society's ills, using beauty to draw viewers into confronting uncomfortable truths about violence, corruption, and environmental destruction’. 

The paintings are beautifully crafted, meticulous, symbolic, and address difficult themes. She deliberately chooses watercolours to work with - which is apparently considered a 'woman's medium' - literally and figuratively weaponising those watercolours to fight conservatism.

And the use of watercolours was a by product of her government grant to head to LA to study tattooing in the 80's. All of which had her the subject of fierce debate in a Senate Estimates Committee. 

She grew up in Canberra in the midst of punk and experimental art - and the influences on her work are obvious. 

It's a fascinating story. 

She has exhibited extensively across Australia and internationally, and her pieces are held in major collections including the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, and various state galleries. She has won the National Works on Paper prize and has been a finalist in several prestigious awards, including the Dobell Prize for Drawing, the National Self-Portrait Prize, and the Singapore Art Prize. But, and I’m hazarding a guess here, I suspect she is just as pleased with the difficult conversations her work provokes. 

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation for Australian Women Artists

The podcast

Ep. 2          Tamara Dean

Tamara Dean is a critically acclaimed Australian photo media artist whose practice encompasses photography, installation, and moving image. She is known for her evocative and often surreal photography, particularly her series that explore themes of nature, human interaction, and the environment...almost like her subjects are in an intimate relationship with nature. 

She has received numerous awards including the Goulburn Art Prize, the Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize, the Josephine Ulrick & Win Schubert Photography Award and the Olive Cotton Award. She is a three-time finalist of the National Photographic Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery and her work has been acquired by the National Gallery of Australia, Parliament House Art Collection, Art Gallery of South Australia; Artbank Australia and the Francis J. Greenburger Collection, New York, amongst others. 

There's a beautiful, often ethereal quality to her work and, as I mentioned, many of the scenes are set against the immensity of nature. You can feel the story behind a lot of these works. 

This conversation took place just before her exhibition The Flower Duet (7 Feb-8 March 2025) at Michael Reid Gallery in Sydney. It's sooo worth seeing. Michael Reid describes it as her 'magnificent entanglements of human and natural worlds reaching a wild crescendo with her operatic new series of lushly romantic, hyper-floral photographs, The Flower Duet – a landmark body of work in which lithe figures plunge through prismatic thresholds in a dazzling pas de deux with camellias, roses and other blooms.'

You can have a sneak peak going to her instagram @tamaradean

Just a heads up about the zoom sound - my sound, not so good (you'll still understand it all), Tamara's is good. And that's the important voice. 

Image of Tamara , Jack Sewell

Image in video: Ebenezer Rock Drop, 2015 archival pigment print on cotton rag. 150x200cm unframed of 3+1 AP

Tamara is represented by Michael Reid (@michaelreidart)

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen to our conversation. Really enjoyed this. Alternatively, head to where you get your podcasts and search 'Australian Women Artists'.

Follow me on @australianwomenartists and the sister account @reallyinterestingwomen and you won't miss out on anything.

Jo Bertini is a painter, art educator, lecturer and writer. She is known internationally for her paintings and drawings of desert landscapes here in Australia as well as India and the US. 

She’s not only a landscape painter but she’s a highly regarded portrait painter having been shortlisted for the prestigious Portia Geach Memorial Award at least 14 times (I say ‘at least’ as I tried counting them, but I suspect there’s more). 

Arthouse Gallery describes her work thusly (?): Jo Bertini’s paintings traverse well-worn landscapes in an exploration of the true nature of wilderness. Drawing from the traditions of artists on scientific and ecological survey expeditions into the most remote and inaccessible regions, Bertini celebrates her long and intimate engagement with the desert. Her work bears witness to natural and human histories of nomadism observing the seasonal rhythm of landscapes and the people connected to them. With loose yet refined brushwork, Bertini depicts the fragile beauty of the world's remote desert landscapes connecting to what is seen and felt within. An innate longing that she expresses through her visceral, emotive paintings that serve as an act of devotion to the natural world.

It's stunning really. And the conversation was so engaging. Jo thought she might have 'gone on a bit' and that I could cut bits out. I tried....I couldn't. It was so interesting. 

Her work has been acquired by private and public collections both nationally and internationally and is on display in many public art galleries, museums and institutions. 

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation. Alternatively, search in Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

Enjoy!

Video photo image: Thomas Studer

It was from that project that Australian Women Artists evolved. After interviewing and profiling a number of Australian women artists I became more aware of just how underrepresented and undervalued they were and are in this country despite the stunning artistic works that have been produced since the mid nineteenth century. 

I wanted to shine a light on those works by talking to the artists themselves, to experts on artists from history as well as covering many other topics and events of interest. 

Given that my other project is called Really Interesting Women and this project is focussing on Australian Women Artists, I’ve been asked a number of times how I found myself in this women’s rights/gender equality space and it’s because, firstly, the injustices should concern everyone, but secondly, in 2000 my wife and I swapped roles and I became the primary carer for our 3 young daughters, the youngest of whom was 7 months old. She’s nearly 25 now. I decided to lean in to that fairly unique (for the time) first-hand experience by highlighting the incredible contributions women have made, not only to my life, but to this country as a whole.

This project is for artists and art lovers and art curious. I’m hopefully asking the questions even non artists (like me) would want to hear. 

The new Instagram account is, unsurprisingly, @australianwomenartists and the podcast (by the same name) will be published on all major platforms such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify as well as many others. I’d love you to follow that account and the podcast. 

It’s been a revelation to me and even Katy Hessel who wrote the international best seller, The Story of Art Without Men, wrote about the Australian Women Artists she discovered while visiting here recently...I feel like my art history has been overturned. 

Tune in and follow me and you’ll see what all the fuss is about. Hope to see you very soon. 

Richard